March 28, 2024

Local veterans make trip to Washington, 
visit war memorials honoring their service

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Washington D.C. — Sitting at his dining room table on the Wednesday afternoon before the Jasper County Freedom Flight, 81-year-old Korean War veteran Paul Goodwin said to be prepared to see heart and happiness to solace and sadness as he and his fellow veterans view their memorials in Washington D.C.

“Look for facial expressions, body movements,” he said. “If you see somebody with his shoulders shaking, go over and put your arm around him. He’ll need …,” Goodwin trailed off as he began to tear up, repeatedly hitting the table with a weak fist. “If you’ve never been around a group of guys in this type of a situation, you’ll be crying too.”

Leaving Newton at 5 a.m. CST Tuesday, the Freedom Flight allowed five veterans from World War II, 76 from the Korean and 74 from the Vietnam Wars to visit eight separate tributes erected in the nation’s capital, as well as see numerous others honoring their service.

From his home on Newton’s southeast side, Goodwin told his tale. Enlisting in the Army Dec. 2, 1948, the Washington, Iowa native said that like most 18-year-olds he “just wanted a bit of excitement and to see a little bit of the world.” Based in Inchon, South Korea, the Iowan fought throughout the country for a year and one week, crossing the 38th Parallel and taking part in firefights where he manned a .50 Caliber machine gun in support of infantry. Leaving the Army in June, 1952, there are many memories of battle he chooses not to discuss, but he appreciates the flight’s goal of righting some of the wrongs done to returning soldiers from Korea and Vietnam.

“I’m sure that most of the guys got the same reception that I did. For some many years they didn’t get the credit they deserved. We were ridiculed, ignored,” Goodwin said. “Because when I got home I don’t recall seeing names of the people coming home from Korea in the newspapers … But I don’t hold any animosity toward anybody anymore. I’m too old to fight, too old to argue almost. I love to fish. I love to take trips.”

Goodwin and the other 154 vets arrived at Dulles International Airport at 10 a.m. After traveling on a single Boeing 737, their welcome began with two fire trucks shooting water cannons on the runway overarching the jet. Inside the terminal, each former military member was greeted by the cheers and applause of local volunteers affiliated with the National Honor Flight Network.

Both waving a small flag on either side of the gate, former federal employees Roger Hartman and Dave Lawhead of Fairfax County, Va., volunteer with the non-profit that provided assistance through Tuesday’s trip. They said that they have volunteered with Honor Flights from Cedar Rapids and the Quad Cities, but this is the first flight they’ve seen that has brought veterans from the Korean and Vietnam theaters.

But Jasper County Treasurer and Freedom Flight Chairman Doug Bishop said that this flight is apart from the Network, raising $90,000 from private donations through the 501(c)(3) organization. Everyone in Jasper County that was in country for their respective wars was selected to go on the flight, and with 226 applications filed, the Chairman said there will be another chance in two years for the remainder of the vets to travel to the east coast.

On one of four buses designated “red,” “white,” “blue” and “green” taking the flighters through D.C., Bishop manned the loudspeaker periodically through the tour. Keeping things organized and reminding the former troops that this was their day, the organizers told the vets the only thanks they need is the hope that these living pieces of history will pass on their memories.

“I tell you honestly, you want to thank me and thank this committee that put it together? You need to go home and tell your families your stories and where you’ve been and what you’ve done,” Bishop told the vets. “You guys are a huge piece of our history and of your families’ history, and a lot of guys keep it quiet thinking nobody wants to hear it, but they’re wrong. Go and tell folks.”

Giving the flighters a hard time, Bishop continued as the vets chuckled, “You don’t have to tell them everything. Yeah, some of you better not tell them everything. But I mean that with the utmost sincerity. Your families’ want to hear you.”

And the laughter rarely let up Tuesday with the vets razzing each other over beer, pretty women and old times.

At the World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veteran Mike Martin sat on a bench smoking a Marlboro Red. Cane across his lap, the Newton resident reflected on what the monument in the distance meant to him. The Newton resident’s father and uncles fought in the world-wide conflict. Born in a small southern Iowa town near Centerville, Martin moved to Newton in 1982. He served a single tour in Vietnam from 1967 through 1968, and was stationed in northern Virginia when he returned stateside. Perhaps a little ornery in his youth, Martin remembers his time in the D.C. area fondly.

“Let’s face it I was 23 years old and single. I was having a damn good time,” He said. “Today? So far, so good. Unfortunately, I was so damn excited last night I was like a kid before Christmas. I was so damn tired I fell asleep on the bus on the way here. But the one I want to see is Vietnam. This is probably going to be one of the most emotional times of my life. I have friends whose names are on that wall.”

He pulled a small sheet of paper out of his pocket showing a list on five names as he slowly walked toward the circular monument, intent on finding each name. At 1:30 p.m. EST, the vets arrived at the Vietnam wall, and he looked for the name John Strawn.

Beginning to tire from the day, flight guardians and volunteers called “red shirts” by the vets due to their red Freedom Flight polos escorted the vets around the wall sifting through the tens of thousands of names. Martin checked off his fallen comrades one by one.

“I have found ...” he paused and pulled out a handkerchief. “I have found my friends. Sleep well, brothers.”

Carrying the missing in action bracelet of Colonel Lester E. Holmes, Newton Vietnam veteran Paul Brown attempted to find the officer’s name Tuesday. The metal bracelet belongs to a man he has never met, but Brown is trying to give closure to the man’s Plainfield family. The metal wrist band states that Holmes went M.I.A. on May 22, 1967.

“I carried a M.I.A. bracelet for 40 years. I’m trying to find him on the wall, and send it to the family,” he said.

As a group, the vets were beacons as they walked en masse through the city. Wearing canary colored Freedom Flight shirts and windbreakers they were a sea of yellow. Passers-by at the memorials stopped to chat with the flighters, thanking them for their service.

The Jasper County group saw memorials of their respective wars, along with the structures honoring President Lincoln, the Navy and Air Force to Iwo Jima and Arlington National Cemetery — the final resting place of more than 300,000 deceased servicemen and women.

They also witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, where after the ceremony they were greeted by off-duty Honor Guard Army Third Relief Commander Skywalker, who insisted on shaking the hands of all 155 flighters in attendance.

“When an Honor Flight comes here, when you’re sitting behind the chains you will hear our steels scrape the marble. The reason we scrape the marble is we’re saluting the vets. It’s a salute to you,” Skywalker said to the vets gathered on the tomb steps. “And the reason you all hear this scrape is because you’re from Iowa. To see you all take all your energy to get out of your wheel chair to salute your buddies beneath that marble stone is priceless. It’s emotional.”

Eating their Arby’s sandwich dinners, the veterans piled back on the bus for the last time at 6 p.m. EST. Waiting for them after their 10:45 p.m. CST touch down in Des Moines would be Patriot Guard Riders and volunteers forming a flag line at the terminal. But back on the 737 cruising at 37,000 feet, Bishop asked the traveled vets if they had energy for one last surprise.

“Mail call!” he yelled. “Doesn’t it make you feel good knowing you’re getting a letter from home? Make you feel good? Well guess what? We’re going to do an old-fashioned mail call.”

On Oct. 17, Bishop and the flight organizers began the task of gathering the personal messages of families and community members to be delivered in an old-fashioned military mail call to the veterans en route home.

One by one the red shirts passed bundles of envelopes, each personally addressed to one of the men. Bishop called them out — Charlie Brown to Owen Williams, Chris McConnell to Brad Diamond.

Brown, still wearing the M.I.A. bracelet, pulled one letter from the envelope and began to read. It was from a Jasper County woman whom he had never met, but his service she wrote, affected her life and freedom.

“I know you don’t know me, but I want to thank you for your service you did so many years ago,” Jennifer Johnson wrote. “You gave me the gift of freedom. Not many people can give that gift, and you are one of the few that can. You not only gave it to me, but my children, my mother, my father and my brothers along with so many others … I personally thank you for what you have done for me and everyone else in this beautiful country we call home. I hope you have fun on your flight and the time you get to spend with your fellow veterans. You are one of many of my heroes. God bless you and thank you.”

Mike Mendenhall can be contacted at 792-3121 ext. 422 or via e-mail at mmendenhall@newtondailynews.com.