Richard served in Vietnam from July 1966 to July 1967. He’s thankful to God for protecting him while in Vietnam. He earned a number of awards, medals, honors and certifications during his enlistment. He is very much looking forward to his Honor Flight!
Each of the 113 veterans on HFC106 needed their Honor Flight Chicago experience, and we are so deeply proud of our entire organization from top to bottom for providing it.
Steven was one of five siblings born in Chicago, Illinois but raised in Dolton. His mom and dad met in Washington D.C. during World War II; his mom was in the Navy and his dad a Marine.
Without any discussion with his parents, Harry stepped up to serve his country. As he stated, “We were in a World War and I wanted to serve. It wasn’t something I thought a great deal about… I just did what I had to do.”
Imagine you are flying a fighter or a bomber over the skies of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, or the Gulf of Tonkin and your jet is thirsty. Paul Stromborg’s KC-135 “Stratotanker” will fill up your fuel tanks.
High school wasn’t working out for Ed Helrigel, and as he walked home one fateful day, he passed an Army recruiting office. “I walked about a half block, turned around and went in and joined the Army,” says Helrigel.
James was born in 1944 in Birmingham, Alabama and graduated high school at the age of seventeen. He was offered a football scholarship in Texas but his family couldn’t afford the out of state tuition.
Prior to being drafted, Charles “Sam” Merritt, had a fairly routine upbringing. Being the third born of six children of Charles and Mary Merritt, Sam grew up in New Haven, Illinois.
Clyde Hall, Jr. was born in Mississippi in 1948, one of seven children and the son of a World War II veteran. When he was seven his family moved to Chicago, but after his sophomore year of high school, Clyde moved back to Mississippi to help out his grandparents who still lived there.
QM3 E-4 Daniel Walter Tatar grew up on the South Side of Chicago with a brother and a sister. He worked from a very young age: first delivering papers for a news stand in grammar school, then at Sears after school in high school.
The son of a WWII Veteran and brother to 3 sisters, John Tourtelot grew up in Oak Park, IL. After his graduation from Oak Park High School, he attended Wright Jr. College where, in his own words, “he was not an overly dedicated student and had a pretty good time.”
“I have never seen a group of volunteers that are as SINCERE in their mission as the Honor Flight Chicago Volunteers," said a veteran on HFC105. "Not only is there an abundance of them, they are all the BEST!!!”
Before being drafted into the Army, Jack spent time at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN on a baseball scholarship as a pitcher. But when the military called, he answered.
Ron went to his draft office in early 1968 to ask why he hadn’t been drafted, and a month later he received his draft notice. In that sense, Ron says he volunteered to be drafted, although he recently discovered a twist to the story.
Two months before Joe Spinazzola graduated high school, his father sat him down and presented three options for 17-year-old Joe’s future. One week later, Joe announced his chosen path.
George was born in Chicago but grew up in Mexico. Just before George turned 18, he “borrowed” the family car to go to Acapulcoand got into an argument with his step-father when he returned home. He left home the next day to hitchhike his way to the border.
Oscar was sent to Fort Knox in Kentucky for Basic Training and his Advanced Individual Training as a Medical Corpsman. The Medical Corpsman training was a three month course learning how to triage medical emergencies, treat illness/injuries and administer drugs.
Since Larry and his twin sister were the children of a Chicago police detective, Larry was already used to discipline. When right after high school he received his draft notice, he and his cousin decided to enlist instead of being drafted.
John, like so many young men in the late 60s, was facing the upcoming draft. The Army was not John’s first choice. He decided, in October, 1967, to enlist into the Marines on the buddy system.
Arriving in Seoul, Korea, Joe was assigned to the 2nd Signal Corps of the 2nd Division. His unit was in the mountains, northeast of Seoul, in Chuncheon. Joe was stationed primarily in communications.