Honor Flight was humbling, precious

Recently, I had the privilege of being one of over two dozen veterans who were able to partake in the Lake County Honor Flight to Washington,

I am a World War II veteran and, of course, the monuments had a profound effect on me. I was especially moved by the Vietnam memorial. It is just names on a wall, but I realized that each name stood for somebody who was alive. A brother, a dad, a son. Someone who was engaged. Someone who was a teacher and someone who was a student.

Anyway, on my return, the were literally hundreds of letters waiting for me. Many from children and quite a few from adults.

One child thanked me for saving the country from Europe and one young lady, knowing that I'm a navy veteran, remarked on how her uncle was killed at Pearl Harbor and how she regretted never being able to meet him. All the letters are precious and will be treasured by me for as long as there is me.

Most came with no return address and so I ask that you print this letter so that everyone who wrote and sees this in the Daily Herald will know how much they have warmed my heart.

I hope that one day there will be no such thing as military veterans because there will be no need for the military. Human beings just living at peace with one another. May that be a dream come true.

George Blinick

Prospect Heights