There is no greater honor than to serve one’s country. To be willing to fight and defend your countrymen with bravery and distinction is an incredible thing, and those who served deserve our undying gratitude.
Too often our veterans are forgotten and overlooked, but not at Rittenhouse Village, and especially not today, as a trio of distinguished veterans and residents from Rittenhouse Village Valparaiso and Rittenhouse Village Portage took to the skies in a fully restored 1940 Boeing Stearman biplane, courtesy of Dream Flights.
Dream Flights is a non-profit organization established and dedicated to honoring seniors and military veterans. Created in 2011 by Darryl and Carol Fisher, Dream Flights and their team travel across the nation, offering free flights aboard one of several beautifully restored Boeing Stearman airplanes, the same type of plane used to train airmen in the late 1930s to early 1940s. This year, they are taking their mission to new heights, thanks to Operation September Freedom, focusing on locating and honoring as many World War II veterans as possible.
Among those veterans being honored today were Ed Pakin, Dwight Carter, and R.O. Johnson.
Pakin, 97, served in a supply team and was among the first troops to arrive in Europe. He was hit by shrapnel during the war. Just a few months shy of his 98th birthday, Pakin had the additional honor of being the very first veteran to participate in Operation September Freedom.
Pakin was excited following his 20-minute flight over rural Porter County.
“It’s not the first time I’ve been in an airplane,” Pakin laughed. “But seeing the countryside is nice. The farmers here really take wonderful care of their farms.”
“We always try to recognize and support our veterans,” said Senior Lifestyle Counselor at Rittenhouse Village Valparaiso, Susan Burelli. “When we heard about Dream Flights, we decided that would be a wonderful way to honor some of our veterans, so we contacted the families, got their permission, and signed our veterans up for the program.”
Burelli said that some people were surprised to learn that they were willing to get up early on a Sunday morning to head out to the airport for the event.
“Considering what our veterans did for us, it’s the least we can do. We’re so excited to be here with them and to honor them today.”
Carter, 98, served as a combat medic with the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions, tending to those injured while fighting in the trenches.
Carter said that, while he was stationed in Hawaii, he also saw quite a bit of combat in Iwo Jima.
“I liked Hawaii quite a bit better than the combat,” Carter said.
“It was a lot of fun!” said Carter after his flight. “You can see so much more from a small plane than you can a big one. You can look down and see the ground better.”
The final vet to enjoy a few minutes in the clear blue skies was Johnson, who served under General George S. Patton during the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. Johnson was a cook and switchboard operator, and one of his greatest honors was being gifted Patton’s personal coffee mug on Christmas Eve during the war.
“He’s very patriotic,” said Assistant Executive Director at Rittenhouse Village Portage, Kristin Pawlak. “This is such an exciting moment for him.”
Dream Flights is sponsored in part by Sport Clips, American Airlines, and many others. For more information about their program, visit them online at https://dreamflights.org/.
For more information about Rittenhouse Village Valparaiso, visit them online at https://www.rittenhousevillages.com/rittenhouse-village-at-valparaiso/. Or visit Rittenhouse Village Portage at https://www.rittenhousevillages.com/rittenhouse-village-at-valparaiso/.