HONOR FLIGHT

On May 10, 2015 RAF member Steve Mason had the great privilege to pilot his first Honor Flight.  He flew from Greenville (3B1) to Portland, Maine (PWM), picked up Harry Cary and flew him to Rangeley, in the western mountains of Maine, where he was met by his family.  He had a wonderful trip to Washington D. C. visiting the monuments that honor our veterans, and was pleased to tell Steve about his trip on the way from Portland to Rangeley.  Steve flew the Honor Flight under the RAF flag.  Here is a brief bio of Mr. Cary, age 92.  He joined the Navy Air Corps in Boston (the old Army Air Corps) in July, 1943.  He received his wings on February 1, 1945, and became a WWII B-25 instructor.  He told Steve he did not fly much after the war, because there wasn’t any money to be made at that time due to so many boys were coming home.  He assured Steve that even at his age, he had not forgotten much about flying and was a treat to have onboard.  

If any of our RAF members have the privilege to be asked to pilot an Honor Flight, please consider it; you will be richly rewarded.  By the way, when he told Mr. Cary he was flying his Honor Flight under the RAF organization, he smiled and said with a laugh, “You sure don’t sound like you’re from England.”  This gave Steve a great opportunity to tell him about our organization.  He was genuinely pleased to learn about the RAF.  

After a brief meet and greet with his family in Rangeley he said, “Young man you’d better get going, there is a thunderstorm rolling in.”  Steve told him he knew that and prepared for the flight home.  Steve landed with a smile on his face, not because he beat the thunderstorm that was on his tail from the time he left Harry, but because of Harry.

Submitted on June 1, 2015.