Local veteran visits Washington, D.C. as part of Heroes Flight

 Toni Walker

Editor

news@steelcountrybee.com

In February of 1950, at 18 years of age, Donald Schumacher, with his parent’s permission, joined the Marine Reserves. In June, all Marine reserves were activated and sent into the Korean Conflict. Schumacher was one of those activated. On May 30, Schumacher, along with 29 other veterans from the Korean Conflict and World War II were treated to a trip to Washington, D.C. in their honor.

Through a program known as “Heroes Flight,” veterans of World War II and the Korean War are given an opportunity to be nominated for a trip to the nation’s capital. The veteran’s visit numerous memorials and monuments, all at no cost to them. The trip was completely funded coordinated and organized by Brookshire Grocery Company.

“We are very grateful for the service provided by these veterans. They went to war to defend the freedoms we all still enjoy, then came home and went to work. This trip is our way of sincerely saying ‘thank you.’ Most of these veterans never had a chance to see their memorial before this trip. We were thrilled to provide this opportunity to more than three dozen of them from the East Texas area,” said Rick Ellis, Vice President of Marketing for Brookshire Grocery Company.

Veterans who are chosen for the trip visit the World War II and Korean memorials, as well as the Marine, Navy, Air Force, Lincoln, Vietnam, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King, Jr. memorials. Veterans also visit Arlington National Cemetery, where they participate in the Changing of the Guard, and tour the United States Capitol building, led by Representative Louie Gohmert.

According to Schumacher, “All the memorials were spectacular. Being at Arlington National Cemetery around Memorial Day was beautiful. To see over 300,000 graves and the perfectly manicured lawn, it was beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes.”

Schumacher was chosen for the trip after talking to the local Store Director in Daingerfield. “It was really nice, it did not cost us anything,” said Schumacher. Brookshire’s also furnished “guardians for each veteran on the trip, to assist with anything the veteran may need. These are mostly made of Brookshire’s Employees.

One poignant moment that stuck out to Schumacher was when a fellow veteran was able to find a family member’s name on the Vietnam Wall. “He could not reach the name, but the Brookshire’s people helped him stand up, and he was able to touch the name with his water bottle. It was special to get to see that emotional moment,” said Schumacher.

The first “Heroes Flight took place in 2010. Since the initial trip, Brookshire’s has honored over around 300 veterans through various trips to the nation’s capital.