Land of Lincoln Honor Flight soars again with trip to Washington, D.C.

Richard “Mick” Bray was simply eight years previous when he heard that Japanese forces had launched a shock aerial assault on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor.

A cousin of Bray’s father, Fred Bray, had pushed out to the household farm close to Chatham to inform them concerning the assault which might draw the U.S. into World Battle II.

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight will soar once more after being grounded by COVID restrictions

Mick Bray admitted he did not know the place Pearl Harbor was on the time however he understood sufficient to know the circumstances had been unhealthy.

Bray recalled one thing else from that day: his cousin leaving the farm with a promise.

“He informed us (he was going to enroll with) the Marines (the following day),” Bray mentioned. “That influenced me. He did go into the Marines and (served) within the Pacific Theatre.”

Bray served as a pilot within the U.S. Air Power in Korea and later within the Illinois Air Nationwide Guard.

The 88-year-old retired farmer from Virden is considered one of 92 women and men who will probably be a part of the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight from Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.

It is going to be the primary flight for the Springfield space group that enables veterans to go to memorials devoted to their service arms within the nation’s capital in additional than two-and-a-half years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The journeys are free for veterans and guardians and Tuesday’s flight is considered one of 5 deliberate for this yr, mentioned Land of Lincoln Honor Flight president Joan Bortolon.

The Nationwide Honor Flight Group suspended all flights nationwide from March 2020 by means of Aug. 31, 2021, in response to COVID-19 well being considerations, restrictions and public availability of the memorials in Washington. In all, the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight needed to scuttle 16 journeys since March 2020.

“I’m extraordinarily excited that we’re returning to our mission, and we’re starting to serve our veterans,” mentioned Bortolon, noting the final flight was accomplished in October 2019. “We’re joyful they had been affected person sufficient to stay with us throughout these 30 months.

“As I’ve mentioned earlier than, we wished (to do these flights) effectively and we wished to do them safely. That is why we determined to attend till we knew issues had been settled down with the pandemic.”

Based on Bortolon, one World Battle II veteran will probably be on Tuesday’s Honor Flight together with 26 Korean period veterans and 65 Vietnam period veterans.

Two ladies veterans–Rita Rey of Springfield, who served within the Ladies’s Military Corps, and Bonita Blakey of Waverly, who served within the Air Power and the Illinois Military Nationwide Guard–will be a part of the flight, Bortolon mentioned.

“We’re at all times thrilled to have our feminine veterans on flights,” Bortolon mentioned. “It does not occur fairly often, however we’re at all times extraordinarily excited when now we have that illustration. We might like to have them on each flight.”

Others from Springfield who’re a part of Tuesday’s flight embody: Daniel “J.D.” Smith, who served within the U.S. Navy and U.S. Military throughout the Vietnam period; Ed Jones, who served within the U.S. Marines throughout the Vietnam period; John “Clark” Esarey, who served within the U.S. Air Power throughout the Korean period; Glen Chapman, who served within the U.S. Air Power throughout the Vietnam period; Steve Boyce, who served within the U.S. Military throughout the Vietnam period and Hal Bast, who served within the U.S. Navy throughout the Vietnam period.

Different Honor Flights from Springfield will happen July 19, Aug. 30, Sept. 27 and Nov. 1.

Functions can be found on the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight web site, by e-mail at JMB4604@aol.com or by calling (217)-585-1219 or (217) 652-4719.

‘An excellent bunch of men’

Mick Bray received the itch to fly as a five-year-old after coaxing his father to take him on a journey on a Ford trimotor.

After graduating from Virden Excessive Faculty, Bray hadn’t deliberate on going to school, till an uncle satisfied him to attend the College of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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There he joined the Air Power ROTC earlier than graduating with a level in agriculture science in 1955.

Bray was in pilot coaching for a yr earlier than going to Korea in 1958, when some 46,000 U.S. army personnel had been stationed. Bray was a part of the 311th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base.

Whereas Bray arrived after the Korean Armistice Settlement was signed in 1953, the world was nonetheless fraught with pressure because the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that shaped a buffer between North and South Korea attested.

“We did not belief one another,” Bray mentioned lately at his Virden dwelling. “We nonetheless do not.”

The F-86 Sabre fighter jets that Bray flew had “sizzling weapons,” which means the weapons had been prepared to fireplace stay rounds.

Bray, who additionally served in Japan and Taiwan, returned to the U.S. in 1959 and finally joined the Illinois Air Nationwide Guard as a part of the a hundred and seventieth Tactical Squadron in Springfield in 1963.

“They wanted pilots and one of many grasp sergeants within the space talked to me and it regarded like match,” Bray recalled. “I believed I may farm and fly on the weekends.”

Certain, Bray admitted, there was a little bit bravado among the many pilots, and possibly some “Prime Gun” antics.

“I suppose trying again there was some buzzing that did not should be,” he mentioned. “Generally, I used to be flying wing and I will must blame the flight commander. My obligation was to fly his wing, so I left it as much as his judgment.”

Total, Bray mentioned he had a passion for his commanders and his fellow pilots.

“I hate to confess it, however most had been higher than me,” he mentioned. “An excellent bunch of men. I am glad I used to be within the Air Power and within the Air Guard. I am sorry now we have to have wars. Sadly, human beings appear to not be perfected but.”

Bray was nudged to take the Honor Flight by a household good friend, Vi Lanum of Springfield, though Bray had regarded into earlier.

“I picked up the ball ran with it,” Lanum mentioned. “And I received a house run. It is an unbelievable honor to be his guardian for the day.”

Lanum’s late father, Robert Lanum, was a Korean Battle veteran within the U.S. Military Reserve. Vi Lanum was a part of a U.S. Military Reserve Firm when she lived in Arizona and later a Fight Prepared Unit out of Peoria, Ailing., the place she hauled jet gasoline.

Bray mentioned whereas he appreciates the Honor Flight organizers and will probably be pondering of fellow veterans Tuesday, he may even be fascinated with household who supported him by means of his service.

“It was tough (for my then-wife) to assist me as a pilot as a result of we had a few youngsters instantly. It frightened her,” mentioned Bray, who has since remarried and has three sons. “Generally we honor the veterans and overlook concerning the assist we have all had. This (Honor Flight) cautions me to not overlook these helps are wanted.”

Paying tribute

Rita Rey admitted she was at crossroads in life after shedding a well-paying gross sales job with the Olivetti firm in St. Louis within the late Sixties.

Each of her brothers had served within the U.S. Military in Vietnam Battle and her father, Chester Heidbrink, was a part of the Military after the liberation of France in 1944, so Rey determined to affix the Ladies’s Military Corps in 1969.

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“There was a bond,” Rey mentioned of the expertise. “It was a sisterhood. Males handled us like they’d anybody else within the Military.”

As a teletypist of extremely secured coded messages, Rey had a prime secret clearance at Fort Ritchie in Cascade, Maryland.

“(The fort was) inside a mountain,” recalled Rey. “It was absolutely contained.”

It additionally was dwelling to a army intelligence coaching middle the place “Ritchie Boys” realized Morse code, analyzed aerial pictures and had been educated in psychological warfare, in response to a web based historical past of the fort, which closed in 1998.

Rey went on to grow to be an info specialist, writing information releases and enhancing a newspaper whereas stationed on the Institute of Pathology, a tri-service between the U.S. Air Power, Military and Navy in Silver Spring, Md.

Rey’s then-roommate was a medic stationed at Walter Reed Nationwide Navy Medical Heart so Rey would go together with her to go to sufferers. That have and dealing as a bartender at an NCO membership gave her a glimpse into the casualties of the struggle.

“It wasn’t like I used to be within the midst of it, however I noticed the aftermath of it,” she mentioned. “It was heartbreaking.”

Rey’s brother, who lives in Granite Metropolis, Ailing., is on full incapacity after being uncovered to Agent Orange whereas serving in Vietnam. Rey mentioned a cousin died from issues from Agent Orange a number of years in the past.

“It was really a waste of so many younger males’s lives,” mentioned Rey, who additionally recalled her brother being spat on by protesters whereas he was at an airport in California.

Rey was within the Military at a time when ladies weren’t allowed to enter fight have any weapons coaching.

“Every thing for girls was restricted then,” Rey mentioned. “I am proud now that is a girl’s alternative. What bothered me probably the most rising up was not having selections. If a girl needs to battle for her nation, she has that proper.”

Rey raised three daughters and later grew to become a realtor after which an actual property appraiser. She lived in San Antonio for 16 years earlier than shifting again to Springfield a number of years in the past. Rey has self-published a number of books.

A number of years in the past whereas visiting the united statesLST 325, a U.S. Naval tank touchdown ship in Chester, Ailing., Rey struck up a dialog with an Military recruiter who had requested if she had ever been on an Honor Flight.

Rey, 77, who will probably be accompanied by guardian Amy Christison, mentioned the group Tuesday is scheduled to drive by the Navy Ladies’s Memorial on the entrance to Arlington Nationwide Cemetery. 

She sees the Honor Flight as a method to pay tribute. 

“I will be pondering of my brother and my cousin and a number of the ladies (I served with),” Rey mentioned. “We misplaced contact through the years. However we had a number of enjoyable collectively.”

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.