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Whiting Field Commander, Others Honor Veterans At Century Care Center
November 11, 2008
Madge Bundrick did her part to help America win World War II.
Fast forward about 65 years. Monday,Madge Bundrick sat in her wheelchair at the Century Care Center, covered on the cool morning by an American flag blanket. She received a pin in honor of her service from Captain Charlie Code, Northview High School’s NJROTC instructor. Captain Code stepped back and saluted Madge Bundrick . She wiped her eyes.
Captain Rick Sadsad, commanding officer of Whiting Field Naval Air Station also attended the ceremony, taking the time to personally shake the hand of each veteran.
“Thank you for your service ma’am,” Capt. Sadsad told Madge. “Thank you so very much.”
As Whiting’s commander, Capt. Sadsad commands a massive operation, with over 18,000 helicopter pilots passing through Whiting in the past 10 years. Every helicopter pilot from the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard currently serving in Afghanistan and Iraq is a Whiting product. There are over 3,000 military and civilian employees at Whiting.
But for a few minutes Monday morning, Madge Bundrick was the most important of them all to Captain Sadsad. And so was W.E. Welch, John Garrett, James Gilley, John Still, Velma Sanders, Ruth Hagen, Elma Lambeth, Paul Moore, William Pritchett and the other veterans honored at Century Care Center.
“These men and women mean a lot to me,” Capt. Sadsad said. “They are our heritage. They fought, and they served for our freedom. It’s the least we can do to take the time to honor them.”
Each veteran at Century Care Center was also presented a hand colored picture in crayon from local school children by Century Mayor Freddie McCall during Monday’s event sponsored in part by Covenant Hospice.
For a complete photo gallery from Century Care Center’s Veterans Day program, click here.
Pictured below: Pictured above: Madge Bundrick helped the war effort building aircraft starters during World War II. Captain Rick Sadsad, commander of Whiting Field, shakes hands with veteran John Garrett. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
One Response to “Whiting Field Commander, Others Honor Veterans At Century Care Center”
Thank You Captain Sadsad and Captian Code for making the time to salute and honor our local hereos at Century Care Center who sacrifised alot for us, so that we may have our freedom of choices that we have today.
The community appeciates the act of kindness and respect that you have given not only to them, but all the other local hereo’s that attended the Veterans Day programs at our area schools over the last few days.
May God bless you both and your families too.