Flights to honor WWII vets face ever ticking clock

There are plenty of heroics at CenturyLink Field when the Seahawks take the field.

But the real heroes took the field at halftime on Nov. 15, when the Seahawks honored a handful of local World War II Vets who are among the ever-dwindling number. They’re issuing a call to their fellow service members to take one last trip before it’s too late.

Standing on the sideline, Del Noack, Bob Swain and Charles Lazenby all had plenty of tales to tell about their battles serving in the Pacific. But what they were most excited to discuss was a trip they took last fall to Washington D.C.

“It was awesome, very emotional,” Noack said.

Their trip was organized by Puget Sound Honor Flight. It’s the local chapter of a national organization that takes dozens of World War II vets to our nation’s capitol at no cost.

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“I loved it,” said Denise Rouleau, the founding member of the Puget Sound chapter, who learned of the organization when her father took an honor flight from Spokane.

“It was just something that needed to be done … and there wasn’t a hub in Western Washington.”

But the clock is ticking. Every day, there are fewer and fewer World War II vets, especially here in Washington state.

“They estimate there are about 20,000 World War II vets. And they pass at a rate of 400 a day now, approximately,” Rouleau said.

Since their first flight just over two years ago, they’ve taken more than 400 vets on the special trips.

Among them, Charles Lazenby. The Army Corps vet spent much of the war battling for the islands of the South Pacific.

“I said I didn’t want to go because I didn’t want to be reminded. I was talked into going. And it was one of the most memorable experiences of my adult life. So I am so grateful,” Lazenby said.

But the flights aren’t merely trips down memory lane. They’re also helping forge new friendships.

“I met a fellow on my trip who just lives across the street from me. He was on Guadalcanal and Peleliu at the same time I was,” Noack said. “Never knew each other until we took this trip.”

Each flight is a celebration and tribute from beginning to end. The Alaska Airlines pilots and flight attendants wear special outfits, greet each of the passengers, and give them the first-class treatment.

“Once that last World War II veteran is gone, their stories are also gone,” Rouleau said.

“So what we really pride ourselves on is just building that relationship and getting to know them and being part of their family and them being part of our family so that we can document the stories and hear them and honor them the way we need to.”

But the trips won’t stop once they’re gone. Rouleau says the focus will then shift to vets from the Korean and Vietnam Wars and, eventually, our more recent battles.

You can help make the trips possible. It costs about $1,000 for each vet to take the trip, so every dollar donated goes a long way to giving them the honor they rightfully deserve. Learn more or donate here.