November 2019, Vol. 37, No. 10
The official publication of the Diocese of Austin
En Español: Páginas 23-26
Honor Flight is unforgettable experience for local veterans By Ricardo Gandara | Correspondent
If you ever want a shot of American patriotism — the national anthem, a bagpipe and drum procession and military uniforms — join the Honor Flight of Austin volunteers when they welcome war veterans at the airport, said Carol Armstrong. Carol Armstrong, a parishioner of St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin, volunteers with Honor Flight, an organization that gives veterans the opportunity to travel to Washington to visit memorials dedicated to their service. (Photo by Ricardo Gandara)
It’s an emotional scene filled with hardy applause and tears, said Armstrong, a Korean veteran and parishioner at St. Albert the Great Parish in Austin. “It makes the hair on my arms stand up just talking about it,” he said. Honor Flight of Austin is a nonprofit that gives veterans the gift of a lifetime, an all-expense paid trip to Washington to visit memorials dedicated to their service to our country. Armstrong, 88, who served as Army Ranger, went on a trip in 2016 and was so impressed with the experience that he now volunteers with Honor Flight. He meets veterans at the airport to help them load on a Southwest Airlines
flight to the nation’s capital. The overnight trip is highlighted by visits to nine war memorials. “It’s not just the fact that the trips cost veterans nothing,” Armstrong said. When he took the trip in 2016, 40 veterans including one woman were transported in buses by police escort. “It’s a hero’s welcome, and it really makes you feel special. And when we got to the Korean memorial, we were greeted by young Korean couples. It was like old friends waiting for us. They thanked and hugged us. It makes you feel important,” said Armstrong rubbing his forearms for the chills he spoke about earlier. Army veteran Ruben Leal, also a parishioner of St. Albert the Great who took the trip in 2017, said the return flight was special as well. On board was retired Navy Admiral and former chancellor at the University of Texas William McRaven. “He talked to us and shook the hand of every veteran,” said Leal, 72. As commander of the U.S. Joint Special Operations command, McRaven oversaw the Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in 2011. The highlights in Washington are many, including Arlington National Cemetery. Leal, who served in the Vietnam War and grew up in San Benito in South Texas, was touched by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, which features the names of all who died in the conflict. He found the name of Timoteo Santiago, a Marine, who was a classmate in San Benito. “They gave us paper and a pencil to trace their names. I said a prayer,” Leal said. The dinner honoring the veterans was unforgettable, too. “We had a table of World War II vets,” Leal said. John Field, another parishioner from St. Albert the Great, remembers
his Honor Flight like it was yesterday. “Flight number 41, March 31, 2017, “ he said. “It was wonderful. We saw so many things in one day. On the way over to the memorial, a girl dressed as Uncle Sam got on the bus with us. She congratulated and thanked us and wished us good will. The trip lifts your spirits,” he said. “Here’s where you get choked up,” Armstrong said. “You get the message that they feel we’re important.” The trip provides veterans a unique experience with their brothers and sisters who served. “They are so accommodating and cover every detail,” Field said. “They put us in wheelchairs to move everyone along at the same pace.” Armstrong can attest to the effect the trip has on veterans. “You come back a different man. I tell welcoming wives that their husbands will have big smiles and it’s not because they’ve been up to anything. They won’t be able to get those smiles off their faces for days,” he said. Vietnam veterans, especially, return very grateful, he said. “They weren’t welcomed back from war like they should have been. During the trip, their attitudes change. Someone has told them ‘thank you,’” Armstrong said. The trip is capped off with a surprise on the flight back to Austin. Volunteers contact family members and friends to write the veteran messages of gratitude. “That is a tear jerker,” Armstrong said. World War II veterans get priority. Honor Flight of Austin has honored 2,000 vets from 14 surrounding counties. Nyle Maxwell, a parishioner of St. William Parish in Round Rock, and his family of auto dealerships, is one of several corporate sponsors. Any veteran can apply for an Honor Flight, for details go to www.honorflightaustin.org.
Bishop’s Interview
Major Milestone
Amazon Synod
Español
Bishop Joe Vásquez begins a series of interviews on the sacraments. PAGE 15
St. Joseph School in Bryan celebrates 125 years of education.
Final document seeks to increase ministries in Amazon.
Orando por ellas, animando vocaciones al sacerdocio.
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