CHERRY RIDGE, Pa. — Three World War II veterans from Wayne County had the experience of a lifetime Monday afternoon. For some of them, it was their first time on an airplane in more than a decade, and this time it was a "Dream Flight."
After a thumbs up and a quick photo op, family and friends waved goodbye. It's time for this Dream Flight to take off.
"People tend to forget; this is certainly is a way of remembering. There's not too many of us left," said 94-year-old Harold Hawley, Honesdale.
Three who are left spent Monday at the Cherry Ridge Airport near Honesdale. 94-year-old Hawley, 96-year-old Carl Bell, and 96-year-old Joe Kurey are all WWII veterans, all from Wayne County. They got to ride in the cockpit of a restored Boeing Stearman biplane, the same aircraft used to train many military aviators in the 1940s.
"One of them is like, I want my feet staying on the ground. Another one's like, 'Hey, I'm game. Whatever!' Some were excited, some were nervous, how were they going to get in the plane?" said Kim Erickson, organizer of the event.
The pilots with Dream Flights took care of everything, getting all three on the plane with no problem. The nonprofit based out of Nevada has been around since 2011, flying hundreds of veterans each year all over the country.
"So appreciate everybody, God love them. I feel like crying; it's great," said Carl Bell, Beach Lake.
Dozens of people came out to watch the planes take off. The pilots with Dream Flights said even they have never seen a crowd this large. The veterans didn't expect it either.
"Amazed how many people I see here. I'm just a little guy. This is one of our last hurrahs, I'm thankful," explained Joe Kurey, Lakeville.
Kim Erickson is the activities director at nearby Bethany Village Senior Living, where some of the veterans are currently residents. She coordinated the whole thing.
"I just have a ball coordinating projects. I love my older guys. If I can make them excited for another chance in their 90s now, how many more times can we honor them?"
Dream Flights will be flying only World War II veterans the rest of the year in honor of the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7.