U.S. Army veteran shares experience on First Coast Honor Flight
Local Jacksonville veterans took part in the trip of a lifetime last weekend, thanks to local nonprofit First Coast Honor Flight.
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Action News Jax spoke with a veteran who shared his experience on the special trip.
“It was great,” Army veteran Ed Lauramore said. “It was over the top. I’ll tell you. They pulled out all the bells and whistles, pulled the rabbits out of the hat and there were people clapping. They had made homemade signs and different branches of the military active duty personnel were there to greet us coming and going from both airports.”
Lauramore (rank E-5) served from 1968 to 1974, Ft. Benning, Georgia Basic Training, Ft; Belvoir, Virginia and Active Vietnam Reserve.
“They put me in the 25th Infantry Division,” Lauramore said. “I did supplies, taking troops, building products and everything that anybody needed went all over South Vietnam. I was young and I enjoyed the challenge.”
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Jacksonville volunteers known as the “Cheer Squad” sent the veterans off from the airport, as the veterns kicked off their day-long trip to view the memorials that were built to honor them and their sacrifice.
This was First Coast Honor Flight’s first flight from Jacksonville this year.
The veterans toured the city and even watched the changing of the guard ceremony.
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Lauramore reflected back on a memory from Vietnam that is difficult to think about.
“The very hardest thing that I found about Vietnam was the death of the children,” Lauramore said. “Lots and lots and lots of children died. That was probably the hardest part is collecting those little bodies.”
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He said there’s something he wants everyone to keep in mind this Memorial Day weekend.
“Don’t ever stop believing in the flag in our country,” Lauramore said.
The next First Coast Honor Flight is on Oct. 15, and the nonprofit is taking applications now.
“It was a party the entire way there and back,” Lauramore said. “It was just a party.”
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