ERIKA: ARTHUR ERWIN ENEDLIST IN THE U.S. MAREIN CORPS IN 1941. 80 YEARS LATER AT 101 HE S OETUT TO TAKE TO THE SKIES. SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AT THE INVITATION OF AN ORGANIZATION CALLED DREAM FLIGH, THTS RETIRED MASTER SGT. ARRIVED AT NORWOOD AIRPORT WITH AT L EXCITEMENTND A AM FEW NERVES. >> TO TELL YOU THE GOD’S HONEST TRUTH I THINK I’M A LITTLE ON THE JITTERY SIDE. ERIKA: TO HONOR THE GREATEST GENERATION AHEAD OF THE 80T ANNIVERSARY THE BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR, DREAM FLIGHTS IS VISITING TOWNS ACROSS THE UNCOTRY WITH 6 RESTORED WW II ERA BIPLANES. THE SAME KIND ERWIN FLEW IN OVER HIS 24 YEARS OF SERVI. >> HOW LONG ARE WE GONNA BEP. U >> MBE 2AY0 MINUTES OR SO. >>JUST WONDERING. YES A GOOD QUESTION. ERIKA: A THOUSAND FEET UP. IN THAT OPEN COCKPIT. MAGIC FOR ERWIN, BUT NOISIER THAN HE REMEMBERED. >> ALOT LOUDER THAN THE OLD ONES ERIKA: SPIRITS SOARING THERE WAS GOOD HUMOR ABOUT THE SMOOTH LANDING. >> ARE THERENY A CORN STALKS ON THE WINGS? NO IN THE LANDING GEAR. ERA:IK ERWIN PARTING WITH THIS ADVICE THAT HE SAYS HAS ALWAYS SERVED HIM WL.EL >> GOOD MANNERS E NEARVER OUT OF PLACE AND I’VE KEPT THAT ALL THESE YEARS. ERIKA: ERWIN AND HISHO WLE FAMILY VERY GRATEFUL TO DREAM FLIGHTS WHICH IS OFFERING THESE TRIPS COMPLETELY FE.RE THEY NOTE ONLY AN ESTIMATED 100,000 AMERICANS WHO SERVED IN II ARE STILL WITH US. THE YOUNGEST 95. ERAIK TARANTAL,
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101-year-old World War II vet honored with ‘Dream Flight’
Updated: 12:18 PM EDT Aug 14, 2021
A nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring military veterans and seniors is helping send World War II veterans back into the air. Dream Flights is honoring as many veterans as possible by offering them rides in restored biplanes, the kind used to train aviators during World War II.On Friday, a 101-year-old Massachusetts native received his opportunity to take off. Arthur Erwin enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1941. Eighty years later, he set out to take to the skies.Surrounded by family at the invitation of Dream Flights, the retired Master Sgt. arrived at Massachusetts’ Norwood Airport with a lot of excitement and a few nerves.”To tell you the God’s honest truth I think I’m a little on the jittery side,” Erwin said. To honor the greatest generation ahead of the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Dream Flights is visiting towns across the country with six restored World War II-era biplanes, the same kind Erwin flew in over his 24 years of service.Through donors, community support and volunteers, the foundation provides Dream Flights in a Boeing Stearman biplane, the same aircraft used to train many military aviators in the late thirties and early forties.Erwin and his whole family are very grateful to Dream Flights, which is offering these trips completely free. The organization says there’s an estimated 100,000 Americans who served in World War II who are still with us, with the youngest being 95.
A nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring military veterans and seniors is helping send World War II veterans back into the air.
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Dream Flights is honoring as many veterans as possible by offering them rides in restored biplanes, the kind used to train aviators during World War II.
On Friday, a 101-year-old Massachusetts native received his opportunity to take off.
Arthur Erwin enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1941. Eighty years later, he set out to take to the skies.
Surrounded by family at the invitation of Dream Flights, the retired Master Sgt. arrived at Massachusetts’ Norwood Airport with a lot of excitement and a few nerves.
“To tell you the God’s honest truth I think I’m a little on the jittery side,” Erwin said.
To honor the greatest generation ahead of the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Dream Flights is visiting towns across the country with six restored World War II-era biplanes, the same kind Erwin flew in over his 24 years of service.
Through donors, community support and volunteers, the foundation provides Dream Flights in a Boeing Stearman biplane, the same aircraft used to train many military aviators in the late thirties and early forties.
Erwin and his whole family are very grateful to Dream Flights, which is offering these trips completely free.
The organization says there’s an estimated 100,000 Americans who served in World War II who are still with us, with the youngest being 95.
