MILWAUKEE — Stars and Stripes Honor Flight recently flew its 75th mission. Since its inception, Stars and Stripes has flown more than 10,000 veterans to Washington D.C.
This Honor Flight had a passenger with a voice you might recognize. It was Vince Vitrano — the host of Wisconsin’s Morning News — who escorted his father-in-law, and Air Force veteran Lee Lahargoue. He was in Vietnam from 1964 to 1968.
Lee had a top-secret intelligence clearance as a photo interpreter. U-2 spy planes and the Supersonic SR-71 Blackbird took pictures. They were developed and then Lee and others told military leaders what they were looking at. The days were long.
Lee had never been to Washington, D.C. As we sat on the National Mall, he told WTMJ’s John Mercure that the hardest part of serving was being so far from home.
“It was difficult being in Asia when everyone you love is back in America,” Lahargoue said. “The hardest part was just being so far away.”
Lahargoue and Vitrano lingered at the massive Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall with its black Bangalore Granite and 58,000 names.
“I’m thankful for the life I’ve had,” Lahargoue told Mercure. “The guys here made a lot of sacrifices. I’m representing all of them today.”
With a steady hand, and an encouraging word Vitrano helped Lahargoue navigate a day that was at the same time somber and celebratory.
Vitrano said the Honor Flight outing was an honor for him:
“This is like a call to duty. If you’re asked, and Lee gave me that honor, You have to do it. That’s our duty.”
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