WASHINGTON DC (WAOW) -
Our nation's capital is a place to honor our country's veterans. And thanks to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight, is a place veterans from Central Wisconsin can enjoy.
"This is my first time. I couldn't believe it. It's really a beautiful day for me. A lot of memories" World War II veteran Bob Trigg told Newsline 9.
Trigg served as a firefighter in the United States Navy during the war, stationed in locations around the South Pacific.
"We were in the 195th field artillery with active combat for 337 days in World War II" Robert Rejek of Merrill said standing beside the memorial built in the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Rejek served as a surveyor in the United States Army. He says touring the memorial with 88 other veterans of World War II and the Korean War brought back memories.
The Merrill, Wis. native was part of the D-Day invasion in Normandy, and helped take American forces into Dresden, Germany.
"I had three brothers in World War II. One in the Navy, one in the Air Force and one in the Army" Joe Wiesman said after getting his picture taken by the Wisconsin pillar of the World War II memorial.
"The one brother who fought through Europe was in every major campaign there" he said.
Wiesman is from Wausau and served as an Army Engineer during the Korean War. While stationed in Yokahama, Japan he refurbished the same war machines his brothers used to win World War II for American soldiers fighting in Korea.
"At that time, that's all we had to use" Wiesman said.
The Honor Flight allows veterans time to reflect on their time in the armed services in Washington, D.C. at no cost to them.
"It was very touching" Billy Fergot said of the Korean War Memorial. The Edgar, Wis. local served with the Marines in Korea.
"I look back and see we lost 42,000, something like that, people in that war. And I see what Korea is today, North Korea compared to South Korea; such a staggering difference. I look at it and think it was worth it."
