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Oklahoma WW II veterans visit monuments in Washington, D.C.

  • Published
  • By John Stuart
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  By the time he touched down at Will Rogers World Airport May 17, 92-year-old Woodrow Wiltse had been awake for almost 21 hours. The Miami Air jet he and 98 other World War II veterans were on came to a graceful halt in front of a crowd of about 80 military personnel and civilians at the Oklahoma Air National Guard hangar.

It was 10:31 p.m. when the airplane hatch opened and passengers began exiting. With an ETA of 9:30, the plane was late, reminiscent of the journey the veterans had made that day, that they'd spent years hoping for.

Of the 16 million Americans who fought in World War II, less than 3 million are still living today. While all these people are heroes, relatively few have ever seen the monuments erected for them in Washington, D.C. But for 98 Oklahoma veterans, the trip that's been some 65 years in the making finally came to fruition this week.

Mr. Wiltse, a retired Army colonel who served 30 years on active duty, called Washington, D.C., home for several years in the 1960s while working at the Pentagon. The Norman resident hadn't been back since then. He hadn't seen how the city has grown, he hadn't seen the World War II museum or memorial that is in his honor.

But now he has.

"You don't know what it means to see these young guys out here shaking your hand," Mr. Wiltse said, moments after exiting the airplane. "It makes it kind of hard to talk."

Dozens of Oklahoma Air National Guard troops lined the airplane's exit ramp and formed a welcome line for the veterans, shaking their hands, taking pictures and just saying "thank you." Family members stood just a little ways off, waiting anxiously for their veterans.

The veterans left at 6:30 a.m. on a chartered flight to Washington. It was a whirlwind day of sightseeing and ceremonies, focused on paying tribute to the men who served in World War II. The event was part of a national non-profit movement called Honor Flight, which seeks to transport as many veterans to Washington, D.C., as possible, to honor them for a day. Started in 2005 in Ohio, Honor Flights have now taken off from more than 30 states and the May 17 trip was the first of its kind in Oklahoma. By the end of 2009, more than 35,000 veterans nationwide had made the trip to the capital on an Honor Flight.

Mr. Wiltse was overwhelmed by the generosity of the whole trip. When the flight touched down in Baltimore-Washington International Airport, the Oklahomans were greeted by a battery of supporters.

"When we landed in Baltimore it was just Katy bar the door with clapping and all this," Mr. Wiltse said. "I've been in the Army for 30 years and this is the first time anything like this ever happened to me."

He had always wanted to see the National World War II Museum and he got his chance. He typed his name in the database and those of fellow veterans. It was mission accomplished and the rest of the day was merely "icing on the cake" for him. Mr. Wiltse's sons, from Memphis and Charleston, W.V., made a surprise appearance to honor their dad and traipse around with him for the day.

Mr. Wiltse was drafted in 1943 and entered Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill, Okla., as a forward observer. He graduated from school in December and by June 1944 was in Normandy, landing on Utah Beach several days after D-Day with the 7th Army.

"I got a lot of on the job training you could say," Mr. Wiltse said with a smile.

His life expectancy was about a month as a forward observer where he would coordinate artillery support while embedded with infantry units. Despite minor shrapnel injuries to his eyes, he came out of the war mostly unscathed, arriving back home on Christmas Eve of 1945.

Partly responsible for making the trip happen was the Mid-Del School District. The district raised $22,000 for the trip, about a third of what it cost to send the 98 veterans.
One of the Mid-Del schools -- Epperly Heights Elementary -- raised more than $800 for the Honor Flight.

"(The kids) are so excited because we have a big Veteran's Day program," said principal Kevin Hill, also a member of the Oklahoma Air National Guard. "They really have a heart for people and a kind spirit. "With Tinker close by it was a good fit and a good project and our kids were more than happy to get on board."

A number of Epperly Heights kids have parents who work at Tinker, Mr. Hill said. The fundraiser was a unique way of contributing to their community.

There's another Honor Flight tentatively scheduled for October of this year, which would represent yet another life-changing experience for more Oklahoma veterans.

But one thing is certain. For the 98 veterans who awoke early and went to bed late, they'll never forget May 17, 2010, some 65 years and 10 days after Victory in Europe Day. The respect shown the Oklahoma veterans by their fellow servicemen and Americans will linger on.

"Maybe it's just because I'm getting old, but I couldn't talk for a minute." Mr. Wiltse said. "It's outstanding, to meet these people and talk to them and realize the organization did this for veterans like me."