05-12-08 Roswell Rotary Honors Veterans

EDITOR:

May 14, 2008 was one of the highlights of my 83 years. On that day I was one of the hundred WWII veterans from north Fulton who were given a free trip to visit our WWII memorial in Washington, D.C. This great honor was sponsored by the Roswell Rotary Club, whose generous contributions along with donations from the business community and local citizens made this a day none of us will ever forget. We vets were accompanied by 40 special volunteers who served as our guardians and attended to our every need with tender loving care.

Our three buses departed from Roswell at 6 a.m. and were escorted to the Atlanta Airport by a motorcycle brigade with flashing lights and blaring sirens. Here we boarded a U.S. Airways plane and were flown in comfort and ease to Washington's National Airport. As we disembarked and entered the terminal building we were greeted by a welcoming roar from a huge crowd of U.S. Airways personnel and waiting passengers.

At the memorial site we were met by former Senator Bob Dole, Georgia Senators Chambliss and Isakson and Representative Tom Price. Following lunch and a viewing of the changing of the guard at Arlington Cemetery, we returned to Atlanta, arriving at 9:30 p.m. to another warm welcome by local supporters.

I'm sure we old timers were transported for one day back to that time in history when our nation stood united in a bond of self-sacrifice, commitment and uncommon generosity. Yesterday the Roswell Rotary Club and its associates gave us aging veterans one more glimpse of those noble ideals for which we willingly served and died. We thank you.

Howard E. Alley,

Roswell
Source: http://www.neighbornewspapers.com/articles/2008/05/22/305/10303620.prt

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