WELCOME TO WCNY'S HONOR FLIGHT SPECIAL.

THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO SPECIALS.

WE CELEBRATE THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE.

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF IT.

TWICE EACH YEAR, HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE FLIES CENTRAL NEW YORK VETERANS DOWN TO WASHINGTON, DC TO VISIT AND REFLECT UPON THE MEMORIALS DEDICATED TO THE WARS IN WHICH THEY SERVED.

I AM JOINED BY SIX VETERANS WHO WILL BE GOING ON THE SEVENTEENTH HONOR FLIGHT MISSION TO WASHINGTON THIS MONTH.

THEY'LL GO TO WASHINGTON.

LET'S MEET THEM NOW.

FIRST OF ALL, TIM BENSON, US ARMY VETERAN WE'LL HEAR FROM TIM VERY SHORTLY.

IRWIN GRAY, US ARMY VETERAN WE'LL HEAR ABOUT HIS SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.

DAVID VERCELLONI, US AIR FORCE VETERAN WE WELCOME HIM TO OUR PROGRAM.

ANGELO COPPOLA, US ARMY VETERAN REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES NAVY IS VETERAN VAN ROBINSON, US NAVY VETERAN WHO MAY BE A VERY FAMILIAR FACE TO MANY OF YOU FOR OTHER REASONS.

AND LARRY MACNER, US AIR FORCE AND AIR NATIONAL GUARD VETERAN GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FIRST OF ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND FOR JOINING ME HERE TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE YEARS OF MANY YEARS OF SERVICE AND FOR JOINING ME HERE TENTER.

TIM, YOU WERE A SERGEANT IN THE ARM NECESSITY VIETNAM.

AND THE TREATMENT YOU ARE GOING TO GET IN WASHINGTON ON HONOR FLIGHT AND THE TREATMENT DID YOU RECEIVE WHEN YOU TOOK THE MISSION, YOU FLEW ON WHICH MISSION?

>> MISSION 16, APRIL 30 OF THIS YEAR.

>> IT WAS WONDERFUL, WASN'T IT.

>> IT WAS FANTASTIC.

>> WE ARE GOING TALK ABOUT HONOR FLIGHT AND WHAT YOU CAN ALL EXPECT, BUT WHEN YOU CAME HOME FROM SERVICE IN THE VIETNAM ERA, THE WELCOME HOME WAS NOWHERE NEAR WHAT HONOR FLIGHT PROVIDES.

QUITE THE CONTRARY.

>> WE FLEW INTO TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, DEPLANED, GOT ON THE BUSS TO GO DOWN TO OAKLAND TO BE REASSIGNED AND AS WE APPROACHED THE MAIN GATES AT TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, THERE WERE PROTESTORS AND THE PROTESTORS WERE THROWING FECES AND URINE AT THE BUS YELLING AND SCREAMING BABY KILLERS.

YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF I.

WAS A DIFFICULT SITUATION COMING BACK TO THE COUNTRY FOR SURE.

AND FOR THE MOST PART, I MEAN I WAS HARASSED IN SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT AND PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO SIT NEAR ME ON THE FLIGHTS.

AND WHEN I GOT TO LAGUARDIA, I WAS HARASSED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT WERE GOING TO THE AIRPORT.

THE GOOD NEWS WAS, MY FATHER AND MY UNCLE, MY FATHER ARMY VETERAN AND UNCLE MARINE CORPS VETERAN, MET ME AND THEY KIND OF TOOK CONTROL OF THE SITUATION.

>> GOOD FOR THEM.

>> NOW SEATED RIGHT NEXT TO YOU IS IRWIN GRAY, ALSO A VIETNAM VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

HE IS GOING TO GET QUITE A DIFFERENT RECEPTION.

YOU HAVE BEEN TO HONOR FLIGHT IN WASHINGTON.

ON SATURDAY THERE WILL BE A DIFFERENT WELCOME, WON'T THERE.

>> FOR SURE.

>> YOU WANT TO TELL HIM ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT PERHAPS TOMORROW?

>> YEAH, WHEN THE PLANE LANDS IN WASHINGTON, YOU ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE HOSE OF HONOR AND THE PLANE IS HOSED DOWN AND THEN WHEN YOU PULL INTO THE TERMINAL, PEOPLE WILL BE YELLING AND SCREAMING AND WELCOMING YOU HOME AND THAT'S JUST IN WASHINGTON.

AND AS YOU GO TO EACH OF THE MONUMENTS, THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THERE APPLAUDING AND THANKING YOU AND ENCOURAGING YOU, GIVING YOU THE ACCOLADES THAT YOU DESERVE.

AND THEN WHEN YOU COME BACK TO SYRACUSE, THE AIRPORT IS CLOSED.

YOU GO THROUGH THE HOSE OF HONOR AGAIN AND THEN ONCE YOU GO IT IN THE TERMINAL, IT'S PANDEMONIUM.

IT'S FANTASTIC.

>> YOU HAVE A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO AND IT'S A HOMECOMING LONG TIME COMING, ISN'T IT FOR VIETNAM VETERANS.

>> IT SURE IS.

>> DO YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR SERVICE IN VIETNAM?

>> WELL, I JOINED THE ARMY AND I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE ARMY SO I JOINED.

I WAS UNASSIGNED AND SO THEY PUT ME IN THE SIGNAL CORPS.

I DID HAVE A BAD EYE, THEY SHOULD HAVE NEVER TOOK ME IN, BUT THEY DID.

THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.

I WENT TO SCHOOL AFTER BASIC AND STRAIGHT TO VIETNAM.

I WAS READING TELETYPE AND I SURVIVED TET 68.

I DIDN'T KNOW THEY CALLED IT ROCKET CITY.

WE GOT A THOUSAND ROUNDS COMING IN.

WE LOST A FEW PEOPLE.

>> FRIENDS OF YOURS.

>> GUYS THAT I KNEW.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT VIETNAM AND THE WALL AND I WANT TO BOUNCE AROUND AND GET EACH OF YOU ON AN EARLY COMMENT BEFORE WE COME BACK TO YOU GENTLEMEN.

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY HAS DONE A LOT FOR OUR LOCAL VETERANS AND CONTINUES TO DO MORE.

DAVID VERCELLONI, YOU ARE AN AIR FORCE VETERAN.

I KNOW YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE US TO SOMETHING REGARDING THAT AND YOUR OWN SERVICE.

>> YES, I COULD TELL YOU MY SERVICE HERE; I'M A LOCAL GUY, COMMISSIONED IN THE AIR FORCE AT HENDRIX CHAP HENDRICKS CHAPEL.

THE NEXT DAY I GRADUATED FROM S.U.

THAT'S HOW THEY DID IT BACK IN THE DAY.

MY FIRST OFFICE IN THE AIR AIR FORCE WAS A B-52 FLIGHT LINE.

YOU CAN IMAGINE THE PRESSURE OF THAT.

OFF TO VIETNAM IN 67-68.

THE PRIMARY MISSION THERE WAS ABCCCC, THE AIRBORNE COMBAT AND CONTROL CENTER.

A C-130 WITH THE MOST SOPHISTICATED ELECTRONICS OF THE DAY.

THE PLANE TOOK OFF IN THE MORNING,-- TOOK OFF IN THE MORNING AND CAME BACK AT NIGHT AND FLEW DOWN THE ME KONK DEALT, COULD YOU HIT THIS TARGET, YOU CANNOT HIT THAT TARGET.

IT WAS A HIGH PRIORITY MISSION AND OF COURSE VERY TOP SECRET AND VERY SAFE.

I DID SOMETHING RIGHT IN VIETNAM.

I WAS PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN AND ASSIGNED HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH AIR FORCE IN WESTOVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

WHERE WE OVERSAW 12 SAC BASES UP AND DOWN THE EASTERN COAST AND PUERTO RICO AND ICELAND.

MY RESERVE ASSIGNMENT IN COMING HOME WAS REALLY INTERESTING.

I WAS THE LIAISON OFFICER OF THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

I DID THAT THROUGH THE 70s.

AND THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS IN THE 70s, NOBODY WANTED TO GO TO THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY IT WAS PART OF THE COMING HOME FROM VIETNAM.

>> SAVE THE REST OF YOUR STORY AS WE MEET THE OTHER VETS.

I'M COMING BACK TO YOU ABOUT A SPECIAL BOOK YOU WASN'T TO PITCH.

ANDREW COPPOLA, WILL YOU VISIT THE NATION'S CAPITOL ON SATURDAY WITH HONOR FLIGHT MISSION 17.

YOU ALSO SERVED IN VIETNAM AND THAT WAR, AS WE HEARD TONIGHT AND HAVE HEARD FOR DECADES WAS CLEARLY NOT A POPULAR WAR.

BUT YOU ANSWERED THE CALL.

YOU SERVED.

AND I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER VIETNAM ERA VETERANS WHO FEEL THE COUNTRY, THE GOVERNMENT OBVIOUSLY, LET US DOWN A LITTLE BIT IN THAT WAR, TO PUT IT MILDLY.

DID YOU EVER HAVE THOSE TYPES OF THOUGHTS WHEN YOU CAME HOME; THAT THAT'S THE TYPE OF WAR THAT THIS COUNTRY PERHAPS SHOULD NEVER FIGHT AGAIN OR IF THEY DO, FIGHT IT IN A DIFFERENT MANNER?

>> DEFINITELY, BUT IT WASN'T CALLED A WAR.

THEY CALLED IT A CONFLICT, WHICH WAS A BIG PROBLEM.

COMING HOPE, THERE WAS NO FANFARE OR ANYTHING.

LISTENING TO WHAT IS TO BE EXPECTED REALLY BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES ON THERE I WAS THERE DURING TET AS WELL AND IT WAS HORRIFIC.

I WAS IN THE SIGNAL CORPS.

I WORKED ON THE ELECTRONIC AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS ON HELICOPTERS, WHICH WAS VERY REWARDING.

>> YOU EVER VISITED THE WALL?

HAVE YOU BEEN TO WASHINGTON?

>> HAVE I NOT.

>> YOU ARE IN FOR QUITE AN EXPERIENCE.

DO YOU THINK YOU ARE READY FOR IT.

>> GOING TO HAVE TO BE.

>> SOME OF THOSE MEMORIES YOU TALKED ABOUT A MOMENT AGO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE ONE OR TWO, IF YOU CHOOSE TO?

IF NOT, THAT'S OKAY, TOO.

>> I GUESS I DIDN'T REALIZE ALL THE EMOTIONS THAT I HAD SUCK DUED, BUT ITCHING TO HOW THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN THERE KIND OF MADE ME FEEL KIND OF PROUD WHERE I NEVER DID BEFORE.

-- >> WHY DIDN'T YOU BEFORE?

>> BECAUSE LIKE I SAID BECAUSE OF THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE CONFLICT AND THERE WAS NO WELCOME HOME FROM ANYTHING.

>> FAR FROM IT.

>> I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE WHO WAS A GUNNER ON A SHIP, AND THEY WERE LANDING TROOPS AND THERE WAS A LADY WITH A BABY IN HER ARMS WITH A MACHINE GUN SHOOTING.

AND HE HAD TO, YOU KNOW, KILL HER AND UNFORTUNATELY KILLED THE BABY, TOO BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS YOU SEE IN AMERICA BUT YOU DON'T REALIZE THE SITUATION, HOW IT HAPPENS.

>> NOBODY REALIZES IT UNLESS YOU ARE THERE IN UNIFORM AND YOU'VE GOT A JOB TO DO.

>> ONE MAN'S OPINION.

DAN ROBINSON, YOU SERVED US IN AN EARLIER ERA 55-58, AND YOU ARE GOING ON HONOR FLIGHT MISSION 17.

TELL ME ABOUT WHAT YOU EXPECT AND WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT TAKING THIS HONOR FLIGHT MISSION.

>> FIRST I FEEL PROUD TO BE SURROUNDED BY BROTHERS WHO HAVE ENDURED AND WHO ARE WILLING TO MAKE THE GREAT SACRIFICE FOR THEIR COUNTRY AND THEIR LOVED ONES: I HAVE BEEN TO WASHINGTON AND I DID SEE THE WALL AND EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT IN ALL COMBAT, I FELT THE EMOTIONS THAT MANY OF YOU WILL FEEL WHO HAVE NOT SEEN OR BEEN THERE.

I KNOW I HAVE SEEN DEATH FIRSTHAND WORKING ABOARD AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER SOME OF YOUR OWN SHIPMATES THROUGH ERROR OR MACHINE FAILURE, I HAVE SEEN THEM DIE IN THE OCEAN AS WELL AS DIE ABOARD THE SHIP.

AND THERE WAS ONE TREMENDOUS CRASH WHERE WE HAD TO MAN THE HOSES TO ATTEMPT TO SAVE THE PILOT AND THE CREW.

WE WERE UNABLE TO DO SO.

>> AND THESE WERE NOT FROM HOSTILE EXCHANGES.

>> THIS WAS DURING PEACE TIME.

SO CALLED PEACE TIME BECAUSE ONE MORNING YOU WOKE UP IN ROTTERDAM HOLLAND AND WOKE UP AND SUPPOSED TO GO ON LIBERTY AND I WAS DRESSED AND READY TO GO AND THE OFFICER ON THE DECK SAID SOMETHING IS GOING WRONG.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE GOING TO GET LIBERTY OR NOT.

AND I SAYS WELL, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW, YOU KNOW, MEN ON SHORE.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THEM?

WELL, WE'LL FLY THEM TO OTHER LOCATIONS OR BACK TO THE SHIP.

>> WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE?

>> SUEZ CANAL.

>> OH MY.

AND SO WE DID NOT WANT TO GET STRANDED BECAUSE INTERNATIONAL RULES AND REGULATIONS AND A NEUTRAL LAND DURING WAR TIME.

SO WE PULLED OUT AND I'LL NEVER FORGET, AS WE CAME THROUGH THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR, I WOKE UP AND AS FAR AS THE EYE COULD SEE WERE SHIPS OF ALL DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL TYPES AND AT THAT TIME WE WERE ASW, ANTISUBMARINE WARFARE CARRIER, AND SO WE HAD TO GO UP AND LAUNCH ALL OF OUR AIRCRAFT, THEY WERE UP FOR FOUR HOURS SEARCHING AND WAITING TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND MOSCOW AND-- >> THE BLOCKADE OF THE SUEZ CANAL?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> WELL, YOU MADE IT HOME.

AND I'M GOING TO GET BACK TO WHAT PERSONALLY THE NAVY MEANT TO YOU IN A MOMENT.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO BRING IN OUR NEXT, REALLY OUR FINAL GUEST TODAY TO INTRODUCE AIR FORCE VETERAN AND ALSO WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD, LARRY MACNER, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

HONOR FLIGHT.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST LEARN ABOUT IT BECAUSE-- AND IT'S A SPECIAL HONOR TO GO AS EVERYONE HAS MENTIONED.

HOW DID YOU GET RECRUITED.

>> MY LATE GIRLFRIEND SUBMITTED MY NAME ROUGHLY SIX YEARS AGO GIVE OR TAKE.

AND I GOT THE CALL ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND I WAS SURPRISED.

AND I SAID, YEAH.

AND I TALKED TO A LADY, MY DAUGHTER IS A REGISTERED NURSE.

SHE WILL BE GOING ON THIS WITH ME.

>> GOOD.

>> THAT WORKED OUT WELL.

>> NOW YOU ALSO SERVED US DURING THE COLD WAR IN RELATIVE PEACE TIME, ICELAND, TURKEY, MASTER SERGEANT AS A JET ENGINE MECHANIC.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE.

>> WELL, I WENT IN MARCH 1973, I WAS HOPING TO GO SOMEWHERE IN THAILAND WHERE THEY HAD JET FIGHTER OUTFITS BUT UNCLE SAM HAD OTHER PLANS AND SENT ME TO PLATTSBURGH SO I WORKED ON F-111s UP THERE AT THE SAC BASE.

A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER THAT, WENT TO THE NAVAL AIR STATION IN ICE LAND FOR MY ONE YEAR ISOLATED REMOTE TOUR ON F-4s AND T-33 AND MY LAST YEAR WAS ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE WITH THE HELICOPTER SQUADRON AND JOLLY GREEN HELICOPTERS.

>> YOU WENT IN IN 1973.

YOU JUST MISSED VIETNAM BUT SAW ACTIVITY IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD INCLUDING ACTIVE DUTY DURING 9/11 DURING THE DIVERSION OF SOME OF THE AIRCRAFT.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

WHERE WERE YOU?

>> I WAS STILL-- WHEN WE WERE ON OUR WAY BACK FROM SAUDI ARABIA, THE FIRST JETS OF THE TWIN TOWERS WERE A COUPLE HOURS OUT OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN COMING BACK FROM SAN DIEGO-- FROM SAUDI AND WE WERE TOLD WE WERE BEING DIVERTED TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION NORTH OF SYRACUSE AND THE AIR SPACE WAS SHUT DOWN IN THE UNITED STATES.

YOU COULD HAVE HEARD A PIN DROP ON THE AIRCRAFT.

WE WERE SO GLAD TO BE GOING HOME TO 55° WEATHER FROM 130° WEATHER AND WE LANDED IN NEWFOUNDLAND, ONE OF 38 AIRCRAFT ON THAT DAY AND THEY WERE PARKING THEM WHEREVER THEY COULD.

IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

>> UNBELIEVABLE.

>> SMALL AIRPORT.

>> HOSPITALITY AND IT HAS BECOME A BROADWAY SHOW NOW.

>> THEY WERE SO HOSPITABLE.

YOU HAD A LOT OF TEAMWORK.

NO MATTER WHERE OR WHEN YOU SERVE WHETHER ON THE FRONT LINES IN COMBAT OR QUOTE UNQUOTE PEACE TIME, THE THINGS YOU LEARN IN THE SERVICE THAT THOSE OF US-- I NEVER SERVED IN THE MILITARY-- BUT YOU LEARN THINGS THAT LAST A LIFETIME, RIGHT?

>> TEAMWORK IS SO IMPORTANT, EVEN IN AVIATION.

YOU HAVE A JET FIGHTER, BOMBERS, THEY HAVE TO BE FIXED RIGHT THE FIRST TIME FOR THEIR MISSION SO THEY CAN BE FULLY MISSION CAPABLE AND DO THE MISSION THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

SO EVERYBODY IS TRAINED TO WORK AS A TEAM, WHETHER IT BE A COOK.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

ALL THE WAY TO THE PILOTS AND I MISS THAT.

I MISS THAT A LOT BECAUSE THE TRAINING, YOU ARE TOLD TO USE THAT BOOK, THAT MANUAL FOR WHATEVER SPECIFIC JOB IS AT HAND.

AND IT WORKS.

>> WHEN YOU ALL SERVED, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU ALL TO COMMENT ON THIS ONE.

SO MANY OF YOU ARE VETERAN ERA VETERANS HEADED TO-- VIETNAM VETERANS HEADED TO HONOR FLIGHT 17.

ONE OF YOU HAVE BEEN THERE.

LET ME GO BACK TO THE TOP.

EACH OF YOU MAYBE WEIGH IN ON THIS AS TO HOW AMERICA HAS EVOLVED IN ITS TREATMENT OF OUR VETERANS.

YOU BUYS SERVED IN VIETNAM HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED THAT TONIGHT ABOUT YOUR WELCOME HOME AND THE MUCH BETTER WELCOME YOU WILL GET TOMORROW IN WASHINGTON AND HANCOCK AIRPORT IN SYRACUSE.

BUT ABOUT HOW WE HAVE EVOLVED IN THE CONFLICTS AND THE WARS THAT THIS NATION HAS FOUGHT SINCE VIETNAM.

>> WELL, IN VIETNAM, YOU WENT OVER TYPICALLY AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND CAME BACK AS AN INDIVIDUAL.

IT SEEMS NOW THAT WHEN WE GO TO WAR, WE GO AS UNITS.

THE UFNT DEPLOYS, THE UNIT IS STATIONED AND THE UNIT COMES BACK ALL TOGETHER AND I THINK BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE CAMARADERIE AND BROTHERHOOD WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, THERE IS A LOT MORE MUTUAL SUPPORT WHETHER YOU RETURN.

>> WHEN I GOT OUT, I SAID TO MYSELF, HOW ARE THEY EVER GOING TO GET ANYBODY TO VOLUNTEER TO GO INTO THE MILITARY AFTER THE STUFF THAT WE WENT THROUGH.

BUT WHAT THEY DID WAS TO CREATE A PROFESSIONAL ARMED FORCES.

THE PAY GRADES JACKED UP.

THE BENEFITS JACKED UP AND WE NOW HAVE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE EQUAL PAY GRADES AND SUPERIOR PAY GRADES TO ANYTHING AROUND THE WORLD AND AROUND THE COUNTRY.

SO WE NOW HAVE A PROFESSIONAL MILITARY THAT WOULD NEVER BE SUBJECTED TO WHAT THE VOLUNTEERS AND OFTEN DRAFTEES IN VIETNAM WERE SUBJECTED TO.

>> SO IT'S IMPROVED.

VAN ROBINSON, GIVE ME YOUR TAKE ON THIS, BEING THE ONLY BLACK VETERAN IN THIS GROUP TONIGHT MAYBE YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE SO MANY OF YOUR AUDIENCE IS FAMILIAR WITH YOUR WORK IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND EQUAL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN THE 60s, 70s AND UP TO THE PRESENT MOMENT.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO THE TREATMENT OF OUR VETERANS THOUGH.

>> WL WELL, THERE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT BUT THERE IS A LOT TO BE DONE REMAINING.

I CAN RECALL WHEN THE SHIP WAS ABOARD WAS SENT TO JACKSONVILLE TO UNLOAD AIRCRAFT AND EVERY MORNING, THERE WAS A COUNT JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WAS PRESENT AND ABOARD.

AND TO GET THE ORDERS OF THE DAY.

AND WE WERE ON A HANGAR DECK.

AND THE HANGAR DECK AND THE SHIP ITSELF IS LIKE THREE FOOTBALL FIELDS LONG.

AND THEY SAID WE WERE DISMISSED AND MY DIVISION, THEY SAID DISMISSED, OTHER THAN ROBINSON, JOHNSON, ET CETERA.

AND AS I LOOKED DOWN THE HANGAR DECK, I SAW THAT THE ONLY ONES WHO WERE STILL STANDING WERE THE PEOPLE OF COLOR.

AND YOU KNOW, THE OFFICER WHO WAS IN CHARGE RED AS A BEET.

AND HE SAID SORRY TO TELL YOU THIS, BUT THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE HAS SPONSORED A PARTY FOR THE SHIP; HOWEVER, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE CITY OR STATE WE ARE IN AND SO YOU GUYS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GO.

>> YOU GUYS.

>> 1950 WHAT?

>> 1956-57.

>> YOU THREE ONLY.

>> NOT JUST THE THREE, BUT AS I LOOKED DOWN THE HANGAR DECK, ALL THE OTHER DIVISIONS WHO HAD PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THEM.

>> WE HAVE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS SINCE THEN I HOPE.

>> WE HAVE.

>> IN JACKSONVILLE AND ELSEWHERE.

TIME IS DRAWING SHORT.

CAN YOU UP TOP, DAVID, GIVE US A QUICK PITCH ON A BOOK YOU'VE GOT AND MAKE YOUR QUICK ELEVATOR PITCH.

>> ALONG WITH MY BELOVED V.A., GOOD FRIENDS WITH THE DIRECTOR UP THERE AND THE V.A.

HAS SAVED MY LIFE.

I'M AGENT ORANGE EXPOSED.

THE V.A.

HAS SAVED MY LIFETIME AND TIME AGAIN.

S.U.

HAS THE BEST PROGRAM FOR VETERANS IN THE COUNTRY.

WE ARE THE HOME OF THE NATIONAL VETERANS SERVICE BUILDING.

YOU HAVE SEEN IT.

YOU HAVE BEEN IN IT.

IT'S AMAZING.

>> WHAT IS THE BOOK YOU'VE GOT IN YOUR HAND.

>> I BELONG TO THE S.U.

VETERANS WRITING GROUP.

IT'S A BOOK WITH LOCAL VETERANS, ALL PEOPLE FROM CENTRAL NEW YORK.

THE BOOK IS AVAILABLE.

IT'S OUR STORY, THE BOOK IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND I'VE GOT A COPY FOR YOU HERE, DAN.

YOU CAN TAKE IT.

I'VE INSCRIBED IT TO YOU AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME PROMOTE IT.

>> I'LL TAKE IT WITH PRIDE.

ANGELO, ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO TOMORROW, MISSION 17?

>> DEFINITELY AM.

BUT I WAS THINKING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BACK THEN AND TODAY, EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE DON'T AGREE WITH WHAT IS GOING ON, THEY DON'T BLAME THE SOLDIER ANYMORE.

THEY BLAME THE GOVERNMENT AND CONTROL.

THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.

THEY BLAMED THE SOLDIER BACK THEN.

>> WHEN THE GOVERNMENT HAD LET US DOWN WITH A SERIES OF LIES AND OTHER MISSTEPS IN THE VIETNAM ERA.

IRWIN, YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MISSION 17, ARE YOU READY FOR THEY EMOTIONS DOWN THERE?

>> I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE.

>> YOU'VE SEEN THE WALL.

>> I WASN'T PREPARED WHEN I WENT DOWN THE FIRST TIME.

>> DID YOU SEE THE NAMES OF SOME OF I DON'T ARE FRIENDS ON THE WALL.

>> YES AND SINCE THEN I FOUND ON IT ONE OF THE KIDS I GREW UP WITH, NOT MY BEST FRIEND BUT I KNEW HIM.

HE IS A MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER ALSO.

>> AND LARRY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO ADD.

YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP WHEN I TALKED EARLIER.

>> WE WERE FORTUNATE DURING DESERT STORM TO HAVE TWO OF THE FINAL ESTROGENS, COLIN POWELL AND GENERAL SCHWARZ COULD HAVE SCHWARTZ COULD HAVE AND THEY APPLIED WHAT THEY LEARNED TO DESERT STORM AND ENDED IT VERY QUICKLY THANKS TO THEIR EXPERTISE.

>> I WISH WE HAD AN HOUR.

OR 90 MINUTES FOR WHAT TURNS OUT TO BE 25.

BUT TO EVERYONE HERE, TIM AND IRWIN AND DAVID AND ANGELO AND VAN AND LARRY, FIVE OF THE SIX OF YOU ARE GOING ON HONOR FLIGHT MISSION 17 AND I WISH A TREMENDOUS AND SAFE TRIP.

HONOR FLIGHT IS VERY SPECIAL.

I MENTIONED TWO PROGRAMS IN A ROW.

SO THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS EVENING'S DISCUSSION.

I COULD TALK WITH THESE GUYS ALL NIGHT LONG.

MAYBE I WILL.

BUT TOMORROW NIGHT, HOPE WILL YOU JOIN ME AGAIN, IT'S PRETTY SPECIAL.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LIVE HOMECOMING BROADCAST ON CHANNEL 24 AT HANCOCK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FOR THE FIVE GENTLEMEN ON THE TRIP GOING ON MISSION 17 AND THE OTHER VETERANS, DOZENS WHO WILL BE ON THAT AIRCRAFT.

WE WILL BE LIVE AT SYRACUSE HANCOCK STARTING AT 6 P.M.

TOMORROW NIGHT RIGHT HERE ON WCNY.

HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE.

IT'S SOMETHING SPECIAL AND SO ARE THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE SERVED OUR COUNTRY IN SO MANY BRANCHES OF THE SERVICE IN SO MANY AREAS OF CONFLICT AND PEACE TIME OVER THE YEARS.

WE OWE THEM A HUGE DEBT OF GRATITUDE.

SO I THANK YOU ON THEIR BEHALF AND I HOPE WE SEE YOU ON TELEVISION IF NOT AT HANCOCK ITSELF TOMORROW NIGHT.

YOU KNOW, THEY WELCOME THE PUBLIC TO THE TERMINAL.

IF YOU CAN GET TO THE AIRPORT A LITTLE BIT 6 AND GET YOURSELF IN THE TERMINAL, YOU CAN WELCOME THESE GUYS HOME AND THE OTHER VETERANS AS WELL.

IT'S PRETTY SPECIAL.

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW.