MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Bill Schwartz said he was 16 when he lied about his age to enlist in the U.S. Army.
The double Purple Heart recipient served in the infantry during The World War II D-Day invasion of Normandy, France.
“ I lost 20% of men under my command. I live with that every day; never goes away.”
Schwartz, of Boca Raton, was eligible to join a day trip to Washington, D.C., courtesy of the Honor Flight South Florida, a nonprofit organization that honors veterans. Schwartz said he hesitated at first and then decided to visit the monuments to honor the fallen.
“The ones who should be honored are those who made the supreme sacrifice — who did not return,” Schwartz said. “My main purpose was to pay homage to those who couldn’t return and I got that opportunity but I got so much more than that out of it, believe me.”
In about two weeks, the organization will fly its 25th group of veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The organization said they are booked for their next four flights.
Ryan Paton, the director of operations of Honor Flight South Florida, said the waiting list for future trips, which is usually full, is open.
“We need the community to get their neighbors, family, people at church, and temple, and help us find them because they’re here,” Paton said adding, “We have everything ready to go. We just need the veterans.”
Paton’s niece Avery Paton, a Cardinal Gibbons High School student, is on a mission using social media to reach out to lawmakers and other community leaders who can help find veterans.
“It like shows how much everyone appreciates them. They don’t really get that,” Avery said.
For more information about the program, visit this page.