Sometimes there are just neat stories from flights, and they help to counterbalance what most of us are experiencing in the skies these days.
In December I wrote about a Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant — the reigning Mrs. Hawaii America — cheering up a 97 year old man heading to the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor bombing.
Here’s a great video from an Alaska Airlines Hawaii-bound flight honoring a World War II veteran by sharing his story with the rest of the passengers, and it’s worth watching.
Early in the video the captain says “there’s going to be a lot of opinions.. I don’t want to stir that up” and he apologizes for giving offense talking about the end of World War II and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I would have stayed away from that part, and indeed I think there’s a lot we can talk about around World War II. But for a young man drafted into war, looking back at the end of his life, this just feels good to see.
At the end of the video passengers in the aisle of first class shake the man’s hand, and you can hear him saying he was “just lucky.”
The Captain actually found a passenger in first class who volunteered to trade seats with the gentleman being honored (moving back to the very last row of coach). So while you can’t tell in the video, the man is flying in first class not returning to coach.
Having lived in DC for years, I’m no stranger to honor flights bringing veterans to their memorials in the nation’s capital. Those are special, but they’re also organized and planned.
Many airlines honor veterans, there’s a military connection to aviation that many passengers don’t appreciate. Alaska Airlines has a military livery. And this Alaska pilot was clearly speaking from his heart honoring a World War II vet.
thanks for posting.
A high quality event only on Alaska Airlines. Makes me want to fly Alaska Airlines over the others.
Fantastic
Five days because the mission was top secret and they were not allowed to send out a distress signal!!!
Funny, I grew up researching this story after being intrigued by its reference in Jaws. Today, people think it’s more interesting to remember Kardashian stories :p
Thank you to the pilot for telling this story of an American young man. This American who risked his life for his and future generations to be free. Thank you to this American Hero for his service to our Country and the World.
I agree with the captain, too many misuse the word hero, as in sports or media people. This man is a true hero and all he did at the time was what he felt was his duty to his country, his family, his friends and to the free world against in unprovoked aggression.
Well-deserved. A hero from back when America was great.
Cockpit door open for 4+ minutes, F/O was not wearing his O2 mask above FL240 when alone in the cockpit.
I love the sentiment expressed by the pilot towards the veteran. However, the start of his speech would have left his English teacher cringing.
“People who can hit a ball real good”. :p
When discussing the use of the word ‘hero’ the pilot suggests that it has “…lost a bit of its gravity.” I am fairly certain the correct word selection should have been gravitas.
I wish that on every flight we would have an opportunity to listen to stories like this one. They don’t have to be related to the war only; just stories about aviation history, different aviation records achieved (like the one about the Flying Monk, a person who has broken the Circumnavigation of the World record 20 times now). Yes, that indeed would be a great opportunity to spend a flight learning about the path humans have made to fulfill the long yearned for dream of flying.