Local vets return from Honor Flight trip with more than photos

DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

MARBLE FALLS — When Bud Lowry got out of the service after World War II, he wasn’t looking for any handshakes, back slapping or much of anything at all. He just wanted to go home and get on with his life.

During his recent Honor Flight to the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the trip back home, the Meadowlakes resident couldn’t avoid the spotlight.

“Everywhere we went, people wanted to shake our hands, little kids, too,” Lowry said. “They’d hold up signs and want us to sign things. I just couldn’t believe it.”

Fellow Meadowlakes resident and WWII veteran Art Strickland, who also made the trip May 2-3, nodded and agreed.

“Yeah, they would bring something up and have us sign it,” Strickland said. “It was something.”

The two Meadowlakes residents were among a group of Central Texas WWII veterans who made the two-day trip thanks to Honor Flight-Austin. The organization, part of a national undertaking, is trying to give all remaining WWII veterans who want to go a chance to visit the national memorial built in their honor. The flight and trip don’t cost the veterans anything, and each is assigned a wheelchair and a personal attendant. The recent group found themselves attended by U.S. Marines from the Quantico base.

Two other Highland Lakes veterans on the trip were Tom Stanton and Stanley Jakubowsky.

“Oh, man, what a trip,” Lowry said when asked to describe it. Strickland felt the trip was even more worthwhile considering he was there with a group of WWII veterans.

“I felt humbled to be with such a group,” he said. “I think that’s what made it so special.”

The National World War II Memorial honors those who served and died during the conflict with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan as well as the other Axis powers. Each state is a part of the monument that marks the veterans’ contributions and sacrifices. But one the most awe-inspiring and humbling moments came when the veterans moved along the front of the Field of Stars.

“It was really moving to see all that,” Strickland said. The wall holds 4,048 gold stars — each one representing 100 U.S. service members who died during WWII — more than 400,000.

The program kept the veterans moving along, but the experience was well worth the trip. Both Lowry and Strickland plan on reaching out to other WWII veterans and encouraging them to make the Honor Flight journey if they already haven’t.

Before heading to Washington, Lowry had hoped to find the grave of one of his classmates in Arlington National Cemetery and take a picture of it to share with other classmates, but officials told him they didn’t have enough people available to assist him due to the number of visitors and other programs. But the Marine helping Lowry wasn’t going to let it pass. While on the bus, the Marine asked one of the organizers to help Lowry. The person told Lowry if he would get his classmate’s name and his location in Arlington, somebody would get a photo for him.

Lowry had all the necessary information on hand and handed it off, not sure if he’d ever see the photo or hear from the person.

“Well, about a day or two after we got home, I got this phone call, and they said, ‘Mr. Lowry, we have that photo for you, and we’ll be sending it on to you,'” Lowry said. “I was so impressed.”

Though the two men found the entire trip incredible, one of the biggest surprises might have come when they landed at the Austin airport after 9 p.m. They expected their wives to meet them and they’d just head for the car.

But as the group of veterans made their way through the airport, throngs of people stood waiting for them. The folks held up signs, clapped and reached out to shake the veterans’ hands.

“There were all these children there, coming up to us, asking us to sign something or their signs,” Lowry said. “I never expected such a welcome.”

This time, he didn’t just hurry home, but shook as many hands as he could.

Go to www.honorflightaustin.org for more information on the program, to get involved or find out how to be a part of it.

daniel@thepicayune.com