By Laura Katauskas | Bugle Staff
sweditor@buglenewspapers.com
@BugleNewspapers
It was a time to remember those from a forgotten war and honor them with a free trip that they will never forget, including Bolingbrook’s own Frank Cale.
A staff sergeant during the Korean War, Cale began his service in July 1951. He served as a soldier, a bar automatic machine gun in hand, in the 24th Infantry Division, the Fifth Regional Combat Team, I Company, 3rd Battalion. When the rotation line froze, they stopped at him and his six-month tour was stretched to 13. He spent his 21st birthday in combat, but he says he was the lucky one – 33 men from his division did not return home.
A Bolingbrook resident since 1998, Cale, 85, recently had the chance to take an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. to visit national war memorials, with more than 100 fellow veterans from the World War II and Korean Wars. Because efforts have been made to give an opportunity to World War II vets first, this was the inaugural trip for Korean War veterans.
The day began with crowds of well wishers and a send off at Midway International Airport. Among those in attendance to support Cale were Bolingbrook village officials, friends and family. Cale said tribute group, The Andrew Sisters, even came out to send them off, and he was able to take a picture with the singers.
“It was just wonderful and a beautiful trip – something you don’t forget,” Cale added.
His wife, Terri, of 62 years, said it was a day of a lot of joyful tears and hugging.
“So many people came out at four in the morning, including those from the village, the township and the Levy Center,” Terri said. “The VFW presented him a sweater, all of the Ladies Auxiliary was there; it was so impressive. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. He is still on cloud nine.”
On the plane ride there, the veterans received a mail call. Cale received more than 200 letters from individuals thanking him for his service.
“It was such a surprise and just amazing,” said Cale. “It touched a lot of us; gave such warm feelings.”
It was a whirlwind day trip, during which veterans were able to visit the memorials they had only heard about. Veterans were treated to chartered luxury buses to visit the National World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam War Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the National Air and Space Museum, and the Marine Corps War Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.
Especially touching to Cale, he was given a medal commemorating his service during a war, that has since been called “The Forgotten War,” since it happened so soon after World War II.
“We were able to see it all – the memorials, the Air Force Museum – they took good care of me,” said Cale.
The Honor Flight Network program was conceived by Earl Morse, a physician assistant and Retired Air Force Captain. Morse wanted to honor the veterans he had taken care of for the past 27 years. After retiring from the Air Force in 1998, Morse was hired by the Department of Veterans Affairs to work in a small clinic in Springfield, Ohio. In May of 2004, the World War II Memorial was finally completed and dedicated in Washington, D.C., and quickly became the topic of discussion among his World War II veteran patients.
Morse asked these veterans if they would ever travel to visit their memorial. Most felt that eventually, somehow, they would make it to D.C., perhaps with a family member or friend.
In the past eight years, Honor Flight Chicago has provided free trips to the U.S. capital for almost 6,000 World War II veterans.