watch your feet there chuck all right take it in everybody they don't consider themselves to be anything special we were just a generation that did what we had to do and we didn't even think about it for the last seven decades they lived rather normal lives in Wisconsin that is until now A Renewed interest in the World War II culture has made them public men we want you to take a ride today okay we don't want you tuck it off before the day is done when stepping off the tour bus in their patriotic caps and polo shirts people stop and take notice even active duty Brigadier generals salute them you're a general I am I'm glad to like shake hands with a general of I'm honored to shake your hands all right they are survivors of one of the most memorable dates in American history December 7th 1941 this summer Milwaukee public television followed 19 World War II veterans back to Pearl Harbor this is one of the more solemn parts of our visit we just took a shuttle ride over to the USS Arizona Memorial for a private visit and wling ceremony Charles Harris M Berard Medford we watched and we listened as they told their stories I was uh going to go down and get some uh food you know but the um messenger had said Japanese planes are attacking Ford Island and this is no [ -_-_ ] he wasn't he was excited or he wouldn't talk like that some shed tears I woke kind woke up I saw light and I I'm alive and how I do not know but it it's very touchy others Express their humor wishing to come aboard sir permission granted thank you and reconciled with the past hey everybody got to live including the Japanese and in the process I have met Japanese who were much younger but they they have a I just like them the attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American Naval and military forces I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost it happened just before 8:00 a.m. in the Pacific American servicemen were in enjoying a leisurely Sunday morning then suddenly Pearl Harbor was transformed into a living Hill 88 year-old Ferman balla of Green Bay has another name for it tell me about that day on December 7th what to remember well it's Holocaust yeah yeah Ferman balla was standing on the deck of the USS Marland when the bombs began to fall the Maryland was damaged by Japanese torpedoes but survived the adjacent ship the USS Oklahoma wasn't so lucky it sank taking more than 400 members of the crew with her when speaking with Pearl Harbor Survivors you began to appreciate how the passage of time more than 70 years has helped them analyze the many aspects of their experience Mr Bala is no exception I wouldn't say it was the greatest uh battle in the second world war yes sir uh because uh it happened and it happened right away you didn't have any time to think about it yeah they came and they were and everything started and we didn't have time to think about it but that's not the same as when you're going someplace and you got a whole Armada and it takes you 3 weeks to get there yes sir then you'll you'll kill yourself maybe a thousand times before you get there yes Harbor is a lesson in the human spirit in their youth they were ordinary men performing extraordinary Duty want me to read that for you oh I get the light on it I can see it 90-year-old Charles Davis Jr of Wasa is one of those men during the raid the young sailor pulled several of his buddies out of the burning Harbor injuring himself in the process they're kind of floundering around and I was a swimmer and I thought I could swim right under that fire and helped those guys get over to Fort Island and uh I tried I swam quite a bit under water and I got needed a breath of air or something I got up and I splashed around and and then I went back down under and I kept going and I got so tired I couldn't hardly move and then I came to the surface and I got crude oil in my eyes and I got uh first degree burns in my face and around these bones here despite his own Burns Mr Davis is still haunted by the image of one sailor in particular it was a man that had burds in his face and I took a cigarette and lit it for him put it here then when I took it out all his skin came from his chin and everything with it and uh that wasn't nice to see 92-year-old Ewald Koke of Madison is another Pearl Harbor Survivor his friends call him cookie the return visit to Hickam field had special meaning for him the original wall still contained huge gouges from enemy strafing on December 7th the young Airman was pinned To The Ground by hot trap no as Hickam came under heavy attack how chaotic was it well it was pretty chaotic because this uh one of the uh Fells who he got behind one of the trees out there and and he lost his face and uh when I was under the car with another boy from the 72nd uh ready at to attack uh he says my foot's gone historian Ula Hol says the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was well planned and executed the dive bombers came out of the Sun and that makes it difficult for American Gunners to shoot at them they flew in from the East they would make their approach at a 60° angle on their targets and drop their bombs at about a 300t altitude so they were guaranteed a hit and then fly off into the distance at the same time the torpedo Plaines came through Southeast Lock And as they did they lowered their altitude to only 25 to 30 ft off the water they would drop their Torpedoes and then peel off above their targets to get away now the reason they were dropping their Torpedoes so low is because our Harbor is only 40 ft deep uaf host goes on to explain why Pearl Harbor became so important to the Japanese the [ -_-_ ] Japanese had a plan to take southeast Asia because of the war in Europe the colonial Powers such as the British the Dutch the French could no longer defend their colonial Assets in Southeast Asia Japan was a resource poor Nation they needed the resources of Southeast Asia to build their empire the only thing standing in their way was the United States Pacific Fleet oh you you sober up a lot after an experience like that 92-year-old George Hutton of Madison was standing on the USS Nevada when those dive bombers and torpedo planes were attacking Battleship row if you've been uh a kid Carefree guy without any responsibilities uh I'm I'm sure that you assume a a a feeling of responsibility and uh soberness in know things are not that uh Happy uh gol lucky anymore the USS Nevada managed to break free but didn't get far she was ultimately beached after succumbing to extents of damage and heavy casualties Mr Hutton how do you stay focused when there are casualties all around you how do you stay focused on your job well I think probably your training is the thing that SA saves you uh that and the fact that you want to help these guys 91-year-old Joseph Sweeney of Lacrosse still counts His blessings when he recalls his brush with death on December 7th when Sweeney reported to his battle station aboard the USS Whitney a Japanese pilot was bearing down on his position coming right at me ball ball eyeball the bball stare me right in the eye and I thought please turn off and he did at the last second he tipped his wings Flew Over the bow and up over the mountain side I can still see his white teeth grinning at me yet thank God he missed me you came that close you could actually see the face of the pilot who oh yeah I saw his White Teeth did you fire I had no gun you had no gun no most of us didn't have any gun though none of all most of the time it in the beginning that were locked up shipmate Roland Bri Was preparing to leave the Whitney for church services when the bombing Started Mr Brier who's now 90 years old and lives in Green Bay remember he being ordered to take cover below the deck what were you thinking during that during that attack because there were two they came twice you know what was going through your minds what were you guys talking about I don't know it just we just we couldn't um I didn't think I guess I don't know and then when think at any moment we would be blown up you know you really did you really did yeah I was right down in this area here you can see the rows of airplanes that I spoke about see them and that's that's just total chaos total chaos you're in you're in the middle of thick dark smoke down in the Smoke area I mean just to breathe how did you breathe uh the smoke was all around you all around you just did it 9-year-old Ken s of Milwaukee was on guard duty at Willer field when the bombing started despite the Thick Smoke he and his buddies began salvaging whatever aircraft they could in hopes of defending the harbor obviously you couldn't see no you couldn't see too much that's why we're among the burning airplanes that's why we stayed away and separating these that were not on fire yet and in that area was some of B how did you H you must have been burned no 92-year-old Ed mavic of Brookfield remembers the chaos at willfield as well when the barracks behind him blew up the young Airman was forced to take cover elsewhere we went across about three blocks away from the barracks into a non-commissioned officer's home so he actually took cover in a residence in a resident behind a refrigerator meanwhile back in the harbor a young sailor named Bernard du chatau and his Shipmates aboard the USS Dale were taking aim at the sky oh yeah we we got two planes on the way out they tried to sink us where the Nevada was grounded but that's where they made the mistakes Mr duchateau who is 91 years old and lives in Green Bay recalls the incident as if it were yesterday and your ship was able to take two aircraft out you said yeah yeah one of the machine guns just was going by Gregory shot that plane up and then there was two more they said behind that one they turned away why do you suppose that you and your crew mates were spared I not because we were all good Fellas but uh I guess we were just not supposed to die Bernard du chatau was among the lucky ones us casualties were extensive more than more than 2,300 Americans were killed over 1100 were wounded Pearl Harbor's Fleet and air support were devastated eight battleships were damaged five of them sunk numerous other vessels were disabled 164 planes were destroyed 159 were damaged the deadly attack Drew US forces into World War II and changed the course of American History that's right look at all these guys Bo Anor away the salute is more than 70 years late but this group of vintage Warriors appreciates it just the same it's all part of a celebrated sendoff to a special time in place in a sense Pearl Harbor December 7th 1941 keeps them forever young some of the survivors have already made it back privately even several times for others it's their first pilgrimage since the war the Fox Valley based nonprofit Old Glory Honor Flight undertook the Pearl Harbor Mission organization president Drew McDonald says it was for a good reason first of all this is where it started you know the world changed on that particular day and the gentlemen that are with us on this trip saw it firsthand you know we can see history and the and the movies and then magazines and then the history book but we can also look into the eyes of these veterans and get their stories firsthand accounts of what happened good to see you thanks for being here thank you for your service appreciate it American Airlines Captain Jim Palmer shim was on hand gritting vets for their Chicago departure Palmer shim's Airline helped underwrite the Pearl Harbor trip as an army veteran himself he took special pride in being a sponsored you know December 7th 1941 um as the president said then the day that we're living infam me it it defined the lives of of these veterans it defined who they became it defined um the men that they became be became the families that they raised their their sons daughters and grandkids and now as they're looking at the final chapter of their life um hopefully when they're there and they reflect back on that horrific day uh they can be very proud of their service be proud of who they became and be proud of the nation uh whose Freedom endured because of their sacrifice and I hope that we provide a of closure a sense of Pride and a sense of healing um that will uh be paid forward to uh to their to their legacy the first full day in Honolulu began early first stop on the home of the brave tour the USS Arizona Visitor Center the beauty and serenity of the harbor was in sharp contrast to what the survivors experienced more than 70 years ago the presence of the Wisconsin veterans in the harbor was most significant US Park Service officials tell us it was one of the largest groups of vets to visit the center in recent memory Ferman Bala considers the local landscape as part of his right of passage sir but I came here as a little kid 17 years old in 1941 I celebrated my 18th birthday right here in prava I can see that really easy Charles Davis Jr had a special interest in the historical markers he encountered along the way weed sh maybe repaired some of their guns or something but we went aboard other ships and did repairs Mr Davis says the shipyard has changed a lot since 1941 how has the yard changed since your service here too many vehicles too many uh bools uh too many buildings uh that's mostly everything is is more and better returning to the hled ground stirred up plenty of memories for the Wisconsin veterans some of those memories have been bottled up for years since coming home from the war yes Have you shared many of these stories with your family over the years no why not never talk about it why don't you want why didn't you want to tell them I didn't think I was no hero or anything I didn't get wounded and I figured I was lucky 93-year-old George belir of Green Bay was awakened in the barracks when the bombing started the young Marine rolled out of bed grabbed his weapon ammunition and headed for the parade grounds what you can't do much of the rifle against airplanes but there was the bombing was all around us they must have been hitting the naval ships and so what they did was strafe around us so when they were strafing I mean obviously you were taking cover yeah what is it like to be you know undercover and you know the enemy is firing all around you what I mean what thoughts go through your mind you don't have time to think you just act The Visitor Center is dedicated to both the American and Japanese perspective of December 7th various exhibits and memorabilia depict the military might and strategy of both cultures such is the case at numerous museums and historical attractions throughout the region it's believed an estimated 1 million Japanese tourists visit Pearl Harbor each year I asked Ula Hol why the Japanese people apparently know very little about what happened here and I asked that question myself many years ago of a j a former Japanese naval officer and he gave me an interesting response he said between one/ half to 2/3 of the Japanese people he met that he would take to Pearl Harbor did not know who attacked Pearl Harbor it is something that is not talked about in Japan because of their culture it uh it's it was the start of World War II for for us but World War II had be begun for them several years earlier but it res it represented to them the demise of the Japanese empire initially one of the most impressive monuments on the tour stands at nearby shaffield Barracks it's called United by sacrifice the design is dedicated to the Multicultural contributions of service men and women throughout the decades briger General Paul lamra explained the significance of the depiction to his Wisconsin visitors was originally just going to be the one soldier from the Afghan Iraq time frame and what the the division Association added with the other three and what you see is Vietnam Korea and then the World War II veteran that stands behind it and at night um and you see they're different colors and at night it it appears they appear ghostlike um because as you can see that uh what you guys start Ed um our our soldiers have continued and so it's a tremendous honor for me to shake your hands and welcome you back to Hawaii under a lot better circumstances right briger General aamra then handed out special pins to commemorate their visit it was a touching moment of mutual respect and admiration the visit to shaffield Barracks had special meaning for 91-year-old Jerry Jerome of West band this is where the Young Army supply sergeant was stationed on December 7th as the buzz of enemy aircraft was approaching from the distance I pull on my pants and went out the open up the doors went out there and the the sky was just filled with these Japanese planes flying were going from that way that way and they were probably coming in through cold coldy P which was not too far from where I was well when I saw that happen I realized that I had a job to do I went back into my supply room and started and got broke open the ammunition and the uh the uh got the machine guns out Mr Jerome also remembers how his building came under Friendly Fire during the heat of battle during the raid by by the Japanese a um a 5 in anti aircraft shell from the uh from the Navy came right down through our barracks uh I don't know exactly what time that happened because I didn't hear it happen there was so much noise going on we're on Fort Island and this is a memorial to the USS Utah and all that's left from the wreckage of the ship within the opening minutes of the raid the Utah was mortally damaged Master Chief Brian Ortega knows the story of the USS Utah well he often passes the memorial during his command and regards the rec AG as an inspiration it's it's huge because I'm able to wear the uniform now because of the men the men who fought forest in World War II uh and the men have died here especially on on the Utah on this site uh what we do is is is awesome preserve preserve our treasure and uh in our heritage she was more appear just like the Arizona was and and she took significant hits uh and then she she she finally turned as you see as she you see her there uh she turned and uh there was some uh obviously Sailors that that uh that died that day that that are still on board though most of the Utah's crew managed to Escape six officers and 52 enlisted men went down in the battle viewing the rusty remains of the ship prompted a gentle moment between two survivors in our group we've been together for 70 years oh that's great oh we still do whatever picnics and lunches and breakfast not baked beans would you have a chance to talk to us a little bit about the Oklahoma you're coming up to Memorial now 92-year-old Herbert Meyer of Berlin Wisconsin was assigned to the USS Oklahoma on December 7th Meyer served as Captain of one of the three gun turrets on the ship the Oklahoma took the brunt of the Japanese attack with numerous torpedo hits Mr Meyer lost 42 n of his Shipmates in the fight including three brothers from Wisconsin Leroy Randolph and Malcolm Barbera there a hatch in the bottom of the you get your head down to the deck and walked over the deck as went down yes I stayed on the deck until it just could be turn it over you were one of the last people off right close to it yeah your country is very proud of you sir your country is very proud of you you know that don't you see even so Herbert Meyer still grees for the men who didn't make it two one of the Congressional Med postum but they stayed down on parking magazine fight ammunition to Chambers gun Chambers above they were CA down there and they held the lights don't remember actually I think Al Al aloh kisses Wisconsin veterans received a warm welcome at the Pacific Aviation Museum the museum features an array of warbirds both American and the famous Japanese zero aircraft what kind of engine uh this one has a that it's a Skai 12 originally the Wisconsin veterans had a particular interest in learning more about the zero the opponents suffered High losses in aircraft and ships but those of the United States were soon replaced while those of Japan were not the visit also included multimedia presentations nostalgic Billboards historic photographs and detailed examples of pearl Harbor's weapons of mass destruction 90-year-old Lee no a brown deer helped make it possible for doctors to treat the wounded as a young sailor at Pearl Harbor nor was assigned to a Navy construction team thank you following the raid he and his buddies went into high gear Ting a series of medical buildings one day when the war started we put up 13 of them in one in one day in one day in one day were they sort of like pre fabricated construction as we know no you had to bolt them together sure they were paddles Mr nuris says it didn't take long before those buildings were in use soon as you get a piece of P it down on there a bed a bedroom come in and as soon as you get a bed mattress would come in soon as you get mattress on sheets and the guy would come sheets would come in and a guy would come in and before we get all the way down to the end the place will be fed up leura is one one more example of an ordinary guy at PE Harbor who was called upon to do extraordinary things the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is sacred ground the visit to the 116 acre property had special meaning to our Wisconsin veterans nearly 800 casualties from the attack on Pearl Harbor were among the first to be interred here the remains of veterans from other conflicts such as Korea Vietnam and Afghanistan are also it it's one of the most breathtaking views in all of Hawaii the Pacific Ocean lies to the west and over here to the east is the cemetery the locals simply refer to it as the punch bowl because the grave markers literally are lined up within a crater a young Marine named Clyde Stevenson and his buddies were assigned to guard the beach against a possible Japanese invasion on December 7th now at the age of 92 the Appleton resident is on another important mission to locate the grave of his brother Mr Stevenson's brother Glennwood died in 1942 when his military aircraft struck a mountain on route to Australia with the help of a compassionate curator Mr Stevenson was able to find his brother's marker this area has been freshly renovated and they just put the side down yesterday so um excuse conditioners I guess like looking on relative gra s side of kind of remind you of the old days he and I were both born in Milwaukee what was it like growing up with your brother in Milwaukee well he was 6 years older and I had two other brothers uh between him and me and so you know this was four brothers and so then he he went to West Point and uh we graduated from West Point by that was in 1940 and then he uh went went into Aviation Sal guys everybody there we go there you go visiting the punch bow was a Melancholy experience with the Wisconsin veterans it offered a bonding moment with Fallen colleagues surrounded by the natural beauty of the land where they once served with great honor poly Lookout offered another panoramic view of the Hawaiian landscape Wisconsin veterans and their Guardians clearly enjoy the scenery as they brace themselves against the Gusty winds historian uoff host says poly Lookout is known for its battles as well as it Beauty you've got the breakers the waves coming in over the reef just a gorgeous place but it's significant military history not only from the December 7 attack but also uh King Kamehameha his final battle took place there where from that point on he was now Master of the Hawaiian islands and the Kingdom of Hawaii had been established but perhaps the most light-hearted time of the trip occurred during this brief stop the home of the brave World War II museum in GI shop with the 1940s music playing in the background Wisconsin vets got to browse among the Novelties and souvenirs enjoy the model train circling overhead even slip behind the wheel of a vintage army jeep the sights and sounds and intimacy that surround seem to make the guys feel like kids again it was a memorable moment it could be argued that Guardian Angels were looking out for survivors in the December 7th 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor one thing we do know is that guardians of a more human nature are essential to the Old Glory Honor Flight Mission not just to Hawaii but on regular trips to our nation's capital one of the Guardians we came to know in the pearl haror trip is Judy derky of Rylander Judy regards the Special World War II veteran in her life as a second father and for good reason more about her story in a moment the other Guardian who caught our attention is Jane whsh of Hollandale in Southwestern Wisconsin Jane accompanied her father 90-year-old Amos Peterson of nearby blanchardville with great care and affection Mr Peterson was a member of the Army Air Corp and assigned to Wheeler Field during the bombing maybe the Angels were with him that day because one of those bombs struck the building where young Amos was taking cover sending him through the air and knocking him unconscious the injuries from the trauma remain with him today I don't hear I don't see like I should hearing and it's very and it's all from the war it's all from that oh yes I have been watching you and your daughter Jane yes okay and it's obvious that she loves you very much yes and I am enjoying watching you and your daughter visiting Pearl Harbor taking in the sights it's a joy I've been riding on the bus with you it's a joy to watch you and your daughter here and uh I know you're very close Jane tell me tell me why it's so important to be here with your father well he we've heard stories all our life and like just to come here and to be able to put our finger in a bullet hole that he said was in the cement and for our fingers to to fit into that the Bullet Hole was just a a realization that wow this is we're lucky to have our father with us and um to being with all the veterans and and coming with the honor plate um has been a tremendous uh learning experience because even though we've been here before to Hawaii each time is totally different and each time we discover something that we go home and say it we've done everything we've seen everything and and this time when we come back there was even more to discover and then the being with all the other veterans is just such an honor and it gives us Goosebumps because they are our hero yeah yeah yeah that brings us back to Judy dery's story she's the baby pictured in her mother Evelyn's lap along with her father private Glenn Ward private Ward never made it home from the war he was killed in the Battle of the Bulge 94-year-old Walter went of Rylander did survive the war including the raid on Pearl Harbor as a young sailor Mr went was assigned to the USS Helena the light Cruiser took numerous hits and extensive casualties but Mr went and the Shipmates never lost their will we did get steam up and um tested out the main engines but we never of course left dock we were already hurt too bad and you took three torpedo hits three torp heads and you still stayed below trying to keep the engines going well yeah we kep engines going but our main objective was to keep the water from coming in my father didn't come back from the war he was killed in the Battle of the Bulge he was the 82 airborn paratrooper yeah and when Pearl Harbor happened on Sunday my dad went down on Monday and enlisted and he wanted to be a paratrooper 21 years old so he didn't come home he was killed in January 1945 and my mother started to date Walt because after he was killed she was widowed I was orphaned and Walter stepped in the picture and took care of both of us and he's been taking care of me all these years not not phally she's well able to take care of I he's a hero he's a hero in so many ways and now Judy derky is helping take care of the man who became her father figure just as Jane whsh is looking out for her father there comes a time when even heroes need Guardians too whether Heavenly or of the more human kind 19 Wisconsin veterans embarked on their return trip to Pearl Harbor only 18 actually made it 89-year-old Mark shidle of Sparta was among the first veterans off the bus at aare airport in Chicago was clearly looking forward to the flight and enjoying the official sendoff that included well wishes and a performance by a military band a short time later Mr shle died of a heart attack on route to Hawaii his death hit everyone hard but the mission to Pearl Harbor continued in his memory it was a prime example of the emotional strength in human spirit among a special group of men Old Glory Honor Flight president Drew McDonald helps put the loss in perspective we know for a fact that Mark was very excited to come on this flight he very much enjoyed the the pageantry and the the celebration um and that send off that we had in Chicago was his last event and how many of us go out where an event was in our honor and then then we pass yes and the answer is very seldom so we're proud uh that we were able to to be be there for Mark a very small part of his life but we think a very important part Mark shidle was a Navy veteran assigned to the USS bogs on December 7th the bog was returning from sea Duty and approaching the harbor at the time of the attack the crew immediately began sweeping for mines and picking up survivors during our visit the flag at shaffield Barracks was flown at half mast in Mr shadle's honor and briger general Paul lamra expressed his sympathies to the Wisconsin vets and our condolences for your the loss of your comrade on on the way over here um but uh hey what you guys started 70 plus years ago I would I would tell you that uh that the the soldier Sailors Airman marines that are operating on the battlefields today are walking in your shoes and doing a great job and this uh this is pretty Hollow ground to us as a young man seeking Adventure Mark joined the Navy and reported for Duty in PE Harbor Mark shidel was also paid tribute during a memorial service for Pearl Harbor victims near the wage of the USS Arizona a flag from that service was later given to members of Mr sh's family presentation was quietly made following the group's return flight to Chicago Mr shadle's passing illustrates the vulnerability of the greatest Generation more than 1,000 World War II veterans are dying a day that's why the sharing of their individual stories is so urgent and why missions like the trip to Pearl Harbor are so appropriate they return for service to their country speaking blue is in Northeast Wisconsin everyone else has just a blue string lanyard um names on both sides it's only 3 days days before the Old Glory Honor Flight group is about to embark on its biggest Mission the Appleton based nonprofit has been flying World War II veterans to Washington DC since the fall of 2009 but taking 19 Pearl Harbor vets and a 5-day trip to Hawaii is a whole different story it took about 6 months in the making the Appleton Gathering of leadership and volunteers was called to make sure everyone was on the same page so you'll be able to find them just like that so there's one of these in each medical Bank when we do have an issue Old Glory Honor Flight president Drew McDonald is an attorney by profession his wife Diane is treasurer of the group and serves as fundraising manager for St Elizabeth Hospital and Appleton both are deeply involved and Outreach to the veterans on the last day of our visit in Hawaii we sat down to talk fulfilling their Pearl Harbor Mission um we kind of did everything at one time because there really wasn't a lot of time it was um actively fundraising and looking for corporate sponsors it was also identifying the Pearl Harbor Survivors in our state which was not really an easy task the there's not a lot of paperwork out there and recordkeeping there's just so many moving parts to the flight when we take a Washington DC flight it's we depart in the morning we come back in the evening and it's a it's a very complicated flight uh you multiply that times three or four for this particular flight and each day setting the itinerary and making sure everybody was where they needed to be at the at the right time um and just it's it's like hurting cats it's a lot of organization and we we have a really rock solid team uh on our board of directors that helped us put this together Drew McDonald says the individual Guardians assigned to the vets play an important role during the honor flights to Washington and that role was especially important to the success of the Pearl Harbor Mission like typically you know we there's a lot of people that are volunteering to come along as a as a guardian they pay their own way on the flight for the honor of coming along and spend time with the World War II vet on this particular flight because we had overnight stays in the hotel we wanted to make sure we had a family member Guardian for each veteran so we really really recruited from within their family or or circle of friends to find an appropriate Guardian for them and the training is important we need to reach out and tell them what they need to be careful of and what they need to look out for and what they need to expect because our job as organizers and their job as Guardians is to make sure our guest of honor that being the the World War II veterans have that tour of honor they don't have to worry about anything they're taken care of and they're kept safe it's obvious that Dian McDonald develops a nurturing relationship with the veterans on the trips and such was the case on the flight to Pearl Harbor she believes it's not only important to know them as individuals but appreciate the stories behind their service they're so special in their own way and as an organization we just love our World War II vets all veterans of course but certainly um these guys are very very special and it's easy to look across the room and say huh little old guy you know look at him well you know that old guy was jumping out of an airplane he was sleeping in a fire hole and I think that it's easy to forget that and that's something that we don't want to forget we want to remember these guys for the sacrifices that they make for the families that they've lost the friends that they made that they don't have anymore it's Saturday night and our Wisconsin veterans have a very special dinner invitation aboard the USS Missouri coming aboard the USS Missouri was more than a casual visit got it it was a symbolic closure to an emotional Journey that began more than 70 years ago these are the men who experienced America's initial engagement With the Enemy in World War II and the USS Missouri is the ship that later hosted the Japanese Empire's official surrender to American forces it happened in Tokyo bay on September 2nd 1945 now the Missouri is a major tourist attra action in Pearl Harbor itself where it all began the battleship interior is well lined with historic images of the Japanese surrender US Sailors lean forward to catch a better glimpse of the formalities being held below general Douglas MacArthur the Supreme Allied Commander reads from the text of his prepared remarks I pray that peace be now restored says MacArthur to the world and that God will preserve it always Japanese Representatives listen intently dressed in formal military and civilian attire perhaps the most compelling image is the actual signing of the documents acknowledging the Japanese defeat but the bitter feelings didn't last long historian Olaf Hol says General MacArthur was instrumental in forging a new alliance with our former enemy he wanted to show that Americans were able to to forgive and help rather than strip the nation of its spoils and devastate it Japan had already been devastated during the bombings Japan was a defeated nation and they knew it it was a shock to the Japanese people because Japan had not received such a devastating blow in its history Douglas McArthur went in to help and the people who were alive at that time admired and respected him and America for doing such and because of that very quickly Japan became our one of our strongest allies the Wisconsin veterans clearly enjoyed their evening aboard the Missouri roaming the decks climbing the ladders absorbing her history in might and Hamming it up for the cameras throughout the trip the Wisconsin survivors have been reminded of their former foe the memories of Japanese bombers have followed them through the harbor the mums their personal stories on the deck of the surrender ship and in their hearts some Wisconsin survivors have already begun to reconcile do you forgive the enemy Pilots well who uh who attacked Pearl Harbor I I have been thought forgive and forget you know I've been taught that from the beginning that that uh forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us for others it's a work in progress have you reconciled with the Japanese flyers I won't buy a Japanese car no I can't hate anybody that longf H believes that when it comes to Pearl Harbor closure is important in the lives of those who experienced it firstand the most significant event in their lives was Pearl Harbor more than likely the most dramatic event the most life-changing event but when they can't get to come back and see what has happened in the 70 years that's taken place and to realize that all has been settled that now both Japan and America have become the closest of friends and allies then it allows them to put that behind them it allows them to relax and allow peace to come to their hearts and Minds so that they can face the future without having any bitterness more than seven decades ago this special group of Wisconsin men witnessed bombs falling from the Skies over Pearl Harbor this time it was a rainbow the return to Pearl by our 19 survivors was the Fulfillment of a 4-year-old movement in Wisconsin the mission is simple to honor the contributions made by World War II veterans from across the state there are now a total of six Honor Flight chapters in Wisconsin together they've flown some 5,000 World War II vets to Washington DC the trips that provided veterans an opportunity to experience The Monuments and other military tributes firsthand welcome everyone to Field of Honor a salute unlike any that's happened before thank you for coming to our Stadium siiz tribute in honor of the greatest generation Our World War II Heroes for waves of GRA the collective effort was celebrated during a special Statewide gathering on August 11th at at Miller Park we've touched a nerve here and I think just in time because we're losing such a significant part of our history as these veterans pass away you know one every 90 seconds now in this country Joe Dean is founder of the Port Washington based Stars and Stripes onor flight chapter it's important because these men and women as teenagers were plucked off their farms and plucked from their homes and were reluctant Warriors we didn't want to get involved in this war there were generally a peaceloving people that uh was called on to defend our Republic when we needed their courage desperately we couldn't go to The Main PX and if we went up there we had to stand outside and have a white man to go in and buy cigaretts or soak for us we could only we could we could never go we couldn't go in the main field they was in there shooting pools and and uh drinking beer and have you know playing music but we could not go in 91-year-old James mcke of Milwaukee is one of those men Mr mcke attended Gunnery School in hopes of earning a spot on a flight crew the Army had other plans although 2 and a half million African-Americans served in uniform during the war color barriers were still a reality but whites wouldn't serve they wouldn't let you fly they would they would serve with you they would they refused to fly with you so that's that put it out there so you had to find something else we got into Texas that morning and we went into uh we went into a place called Greg Harvey restaurant they would feed the German prisoners but they wouldn't let the black soldiers in there and they wouldn't let the even black guys with guard in the guard the Germans go in there now that's in in in in uh you about hurting now that was a hurt his hopes never fulfilled Mr mcke still took pride in his service refueling and parking military aircraft last June 66 years after hanging up his uniform James mcke was finally welcomed AB board as an honored guest and when he landed in Washington the historic Buffalo Soldiers group was there to greet him it was a memorable trip for a patriot who' waited so long to feel appreciated so what does the honorly program mean to World War II veterans in Wisconsin just listen it was the most enjoyable thing and I I have a a a little girl uh you know when we got before we got on the bus little girl about that be give me other things to thank you say I got it in on on on my shirt that you know that and uh I thought that boy that I cried I swear that little girl little girl about this SP couldn't have been a more five four or five years old we gave us everything and uh and we I never never had everything I did on on that flight with eat and that whole entire we was out there in Washington when we go to any of those monuments we always you were you were never hungry cuz they always see that you had plenty to eat before 91-year-old father Larry Jonas signed up for the Jesuits he served his country I told him I could type 55 words a minute well they gave me a test I got 45 and they practically embraced me they said you're going to be in an office the Army airc sent him to Nigeria where he and his buddies helped Supply the US forces in South Asia we supplied by air supplies to the uh Burma India uh Theater award uh sending pilots and equipment and parts and things like that last April father Jonas was invited to take an honor flight to Washington DC World War II hero and former US senator Bob Dole was among his greeters he too says it was the exper experience of a lifetime where there's Unity friendship uh everyone is U just uh one with each other one of one heart and one mind father Jonas also says his wartime experience helped lead him to his Priestly vocation there was real poverty over there and uh I think it gave me a uh a spirit of compassion for other people and uh I felt that I could be of service in the priesthood helping people in in one way or another Our World War II veterans are still on a mission in their youth we labeled them as Heroes today we've come to appreciate their graceful manner they are survivors of the battlefield and post-war life itself their personal stories and perspectives help to find the meaning of will compassion dignity and Reconciliation the greatest Generation Maybe the reference might in fact be too heavy to Bear one thing we do know the human spirit is never quite certain how it will react until it is tested the survivors of Pearl Harbor and what followed were tested and Rose to meet the challenge Am I Dreaming I can hear screaming I am Mr Jackson everything's a l a m a for again real pimparoo I'll make my bit for that freckleface kid I'm hurrying to I'm going to Michigan to see the sweetest girl in cazo k k a hey again Realo we're going to Michigan to see the sweetest in zo G