Veterans of the Second World War are often thought of as the “Greatest Generation.” Many paid the ultimate price of defeating Nazi Germany and the Japanese Empire. But many more lived on to remember comrades who didn’t come home. But the ranks of World War Two vets are thinning fast. It’s estimated that up to 800 die every day, often without having had the chance to visit the Second World War Memorial in Washington completed in 2004. But that’s changing in southwest Michigan, where the "Talons Out" program takes veterans to see the memorial.
Dan Moyle is the vice-president of the Talons Out program in southwest Michigan. He says it began as part of a national project called the Honor Flight Network. It started in 2005 when retired Air Force Captain Earl Morese wanted to get Second World War vets to Washington to see the memorial before they passed on. Morese called on fellow pilots to help. They got 12 veterans to the memorial using six planes. By the end of 2012, the Honor Flight Network had flown well over 98- hundred veterans to Washington. That prompted Moyle to launch “Talons Out” in southwest Michigan.
It flew its first flight in October 2013. That flight out of Grand Rapids had 21 veterans on board. More than three times that number were part of the next flight that left Kalamazoo in May 2014. Plenty of supporters were on hand to welcome the veterans home during an event at Wings Stadium a few days later.
Sue Vandenbrink proudly held a large poster with a picture of her grandfather, who got a field commission as a second lieutenant during the war. The poster was signed by all of his grand- and great- grandkids. Timothy Ham, a staff sergeant with the Michigan Air National Guard based in Battle Creek, was also there to honor two grandparents who served during World War Two.
“You take a look at Nazi Germany, you take a look at the way the Japanese Empire was back in the day…Those are some forces of evil, probably some of the greatest that this world has ever known, and we’re honoring the people tonight that who went out there and did it. I am probably never going to face the threats they did.” During the welcome home ceremony, Talons Out organizer Dan Moyle said it would not have been possible without the generosity of the community.
“I have choked up more today than I ever have in my life, and this is my second time doing this so it is amazing: I feel so proud to be a part of this community, so humbled to see the gratitude to our veterans.”
Talons Out will sponsor its next flight to Washington on Saturday, September 27.
