Veterans and citizens will gather on Friday, October 9th at 9 a.m. in the Austin Bergstrom airport to send-off four Texas WWII veterans as they depart to Washington, D.C. Messrs. Carl Johnson resides in the Floresville Texas State Veterans Homes while Carl Knight, John Marshal and Joseph Novembre live in the Temple Texas State Veterans Homes. Each of these veterans served with honor during WWII and will now have the opportunity to finally travel to our nation's capitol to view the World War II Memorial. The trip is completely free of charge for the veterans and is run by the Honor Flight organization. A large group of well-wishers is expected at the send-off ceremony before the plane departs.
Carl Johnson served as a paratrooper and demolition man during the Normandy invasion. He entered the Army in 1943 and went on to serve with the 90th Infantry Division and later the 101st Airborne. He now resides in the Tejeda Texas State Veterans Home in Floresville, Texas.
Carl Knight served in the Army as a rifleman with the 160th Infantry and earned the Purple Heart when he was struck in the leg by fragmentation. The wound caused him to be hospitalized for three months. He now resides in the Courtney Texas State Veterans Home in Temple, Texas.
John Marshal entered the Army in Chicago, Ill., in November of 1943 from the United States Naval Reserve. He served with the Army Air Corps as a navigator in the 2536th Army Air Force Base Unit and was granted an honorable discharge through the San Marcos Army Air Field in San Marcos, Texas, on the 6th of April in 1945.
Joseph Novembre enlisted in the Army in September of 1943 in N.J. He served in North Africa and France as a Rifleman with additional duties as a cook and baker. He earned a combat infantry badge, a Bronze Battle Star, a Victory ribbon and Good Conduct medal and was discharged as a PFC in October of 1946.
The Honor Flight will return to Austin at 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 10th.
WHO: Four veterans of The Greatest Generation
WHAT: An Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C.
WHERE: Austin Bergstrom Airport
WHEN: 9 a.m. Friday, October 9, 2015
WHY: We are losing our WWII veterans at a rapid rate. These gentlemen will finally travel to our nation's capitol to see the memorial erected in honor of their friends and fellow warriors who made the ultimate sacrifice.
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