Local veteran takes the trip of a lifetime
Top picture: While in Washington D.C., Gray ran into Senator Roy Blunt. Pictured above, from left to right, are: Cheryl Casey, Grays guardian; Roy Blunt; and Jerry Gray.
Bottom picture: Korean War veteran Jerry Gray is pictured with the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.
July 8, 2015
Charlea Mills
Local Korean War veteran Jerry Gray was selected for the Ozarks Honor Flight in June along with 74 other veterans from around the area. The 75 veterans, 75 guardians, three doctors and three nurses, the group set out for a one-day adventure on June 23.
Honor Flight was founded in 2005 when Earl Morse, a physician assistant and retired Air Force captain, asked one of his patients if he would like to go see the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. After that, other pilots stepped in and eventually the small project turned into a huge initiative to take the nation’s veterans to see their memorials free of charge. Currently, there are 133 hubs for the Honor Flight Network in 41 different states.
Gray boarded his flight at 4 a.m. in Springfield to return at 10 p.m. that same night, but the one day packed a lifetime of memories that will follow him the rest of his days.
Gray served in the U.S. Navy as a dental technician stationed at Charleston, South Carolina, from January 1952 to January 1955. Not only did Gray get to see the Korean War Memorial, but he also got to see the memorials for WWII, the Marine Corps, Vietnam and Air Force. He also saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Arlington National Cemetery.
While in Washington D.C. Gray had an unexpected visitor. He ran into Senator Roy Blunt, whom he had met before in Joplin during the Korean War Memorial at eh VFW.
Gray said, “It’s really a neat deal. It was great, they don’t need to change a thing.”
One of the unexpected elements of his trip was the mail call while they were in D.C. Gray said, “It was just like mail call in the service. We got hundreds of letters and cards from school kids from all over the area.” Gray said he got letters from Cassville as well as Branson and Rogersville.
Among the letters, were many thank you’s from kids and adults alike. The messages were touching for each of the veterans, but Gray said that one girl included her address so that he could write her back.
Gray felt honored to be a part of the flight and returned with memories he won’t forget. Gray lives in Cassville with his wife, Patricia. His children include Lisa Schell, of Cassville, Chris Gray, of Neosho, and James Anthony Gray, of San Diego, California. Gray’s grandchildren are Grace Schell and Sean Gray.
Charlea Mills
Local Korean War veteran Jerry Gray was selected for the Ozarks Honor Flight in June along with 74 other veterans from around the area. The 75 veterans, 75 guardians, three doctors and three nurses, the group set out for a one-day adventure on June 23.
Honor Flight was founded in 2005 when Earl Morse, a physician assistant and retired Air Force captain, asked one of his patients if he would like to go see the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. After that, other pilots stepped in and eventually the small project turned into a huge initiative to take the nation’s veterans to see their memorials free of charge. Currently, there are 133 hubs for the Honor Flight Network in 41 different states.
Gray boarded his flight at 4 a.m. in Springfield to return at 10 p.m. that same night, but the one day packed a lifetime of memories that will follow him the rest of his days.
Gray served in the U.S. Navy as a dental technician stationed at Charleston, South Carolina, from January 1952 to January 1955. Not only did Gray get to see the Korean War Memorial, but he also got to see the memorials for WWII, the Marine Corps, Vietnam and Air Force. He also saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Arlington National Cemetery.
While in Washington D.C. Gray had an unexpected visitor. He ran into Senator Roy Blunt, whom he had met before in Joplin during the Korean War Memorial at eh VFW.
Gray said, “It’s really a neat deal. It was great, they don’t need to change a thing.”
One of the unexpected elements of his trip was the mail call while they were in D.C. Gray said, “It was just like mail call in the service. We got hundreds of letters and cards from school kids from all over the area.” Gray said he got letters from Cassville as well as Branson and Rogersville.
Among the letters, were many thank you’s from kids and adults alike. The messages were touching for each of the veterans, but Gray said that one girl included her address so that he could write her back.
Gray felt honored to be a part of the flight and returned with memories he won’t forget. Gray lives in Cassville with his wife, Patricia. His children include Lisa Schell, of Cassville, Chris Gray, of Neosho, and James Anthony Gray, of San Diego, California. Gray’s grandchildren are Grace Schell and Sean Gray.
