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Ernest Ward Honors Veterans, Presents $2,580 To Honor Flight
November 14, 2009
A tearful service honored veterans Friday morning at Ernest Ward Middle School, as the school presented $2,580 to Emerald Coast Honor Flight.
“Today we honor you for the sacrifices you have given for our country,” Ernest Ward Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry told the dozens of veterans in attendance at the annual program.
Walnut Hill resident Billy G. Ward, who recently took an Emerald Coast Honor Flight to the World War II Memorial in Washington, told the students that the Honor Flight was an experience that he will never forget.
“There was a fountain out there; that was beautiful,” Ward said about the World War II Memorial. He also related the experience of returning to the Pensacola airport to see hundreds of people providing a hero’s welcome for the 102 veterans on the recent honor flight.
The two words he will most remember about the entire Honor Flight, he said, were “mail call”.
“It was two words that I had not heard in such a long time,” Ward (pictured left) said of the mail call aboard the flight bound for Washington. “Every soldier knows those two words.”
During the mail call aboard the honor flight, the veterans were presented with letters and cards from area schoolchildren, thanking the men for their service to our country.
Gindl-Perry announced Friday that Ernest Ward take part in “Penny Wars” again this year with goal of sending at least two more veterans on an upcoming Honor Flight next April.
When Ward took the Honor Flight to Washington, he had a NorthEscambia.com camera with him. To read about his trip and see his pictures, click here.
Pictured top: Ernest Ward Middle School Drama Club members reenact a scene from the Vietnam Ward. Pictured top inset: Students portray an modern-day scene from Iraq. Pictured bottom inset: Veteran Billy G. Ward recently took an Emerald Coast Honor Flight to Washington. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
4 Responses to “Ernest Ward Honors Veterans, Presents $2,580 To Honor Flight”
i believe the program went very well. I would like to say great job to everyone who participated in the program. We pulled it off!
Molino Park’s Veteran’s Day activity had to be postponed until this Tuesday, November 17 because of Tropical Storm Ida. We are also collecting coins for the “Honor Flight”. Our program will be at 1:00 on Tuesday. Thank you to all the Veterans and their families for their sacrifice.
In loving memory of my father, W. H. (Bill) Corley, who served his country with pride in the U.S. Navy during WWII and the Korean conflict. Like so many veterans of this part of our history his stories were few, but very detailed.
His discharge papers listed the medals he earned in the Navy and I contacted the Department of the Navy to obtain information needed to replace the medals that had been lost. Their reply to me was sent in error to another veteran in south Florida and he was kind enough to forward the same to me. He wrote me a personal note telling me that the list of medals told a story….my father was a true hero.
He passed away in February, 2005, and I miss him so very much.
It was a great program.Ya’ll did an awesome job.