Since the day he was born, family has been the center of Asencion Vela’s life. This month, the focus turns to him when he will be honored with an Honor Flight Chicago trip to Washington, D.C., in recognition of his service during World War II.
During his time in the Navy, Frank crisscrossed the Pacific on two ships, sailing thousands of nautical miles and crossing the international date/timeline and the equator. But there is one trip that he’s not been on and is looking forward to: his one-day, 600-mile Honor Flight Chicago plane ride to D.C.
It was 1966. His student deferment was gone, and his draft papers had arrived. For Rick Ellish it was a chance to follow in his father’s footsteps. His father was a lifer in the U.S. Army infantry. But when Rick gave his dad the news that he’d been drafted, the reaction wasn’t what he expected.
Artie Hill, Jr. grew up on the southside of Chicago. His father, Artie, Sr. was a Pullman porter and his mother Rena, was a cook. When Artie graduated grammar school, his mother, Rena, had grown tired of Chicago and went to Los Angeles to fulfill her dream of expanding her culinary skills to become a chef.
While he now lives in Texas, in 1966, Andy was living in Oak Lawn, IL with his mother and stepfather. His stepfather, Francis X. Downey was actually a member of the Illinois State House of Representatives from 1957 to 1965.
Winifred (Winnie) French was born in 1936 in Evergreen Park, IL. Her father was a Chicago Police Officer, so the family resided in Chicago. After graduating from Morgan Park High School in 1954, she enlisted in the Air Force that same year.
Walter (Walt) Dobbs was born in Detroit in 1925. His father had served in the U.S. Army in WWI in Europe as a machinist. He had taken advantage of his acquired technical skills after he returned to civilian life by becoming an accomplished mechanic.