Barb Cessna, Vets Finding Vets coordinator with the Fenton History Center, said this is the first time the Buffalo Niagara Honor Flight has done an all Purple Heart flight. Cessna said the trip was special because it was specifically for Purple Heart veterans who served in Vietnam.

“This trip was an add-in between the usual spring and fall flights, as the travelers were specifically Vietnam vets who were wounded during their service,” she said. “It was also a two-day trip instead of the usual one day, which made it possible to tour Washington a bit more and absorb more of its substantial history.”

Cessna added that the more relaxed schedule also gave the veterans the opportunity to get to know each other.

“The trip provided healing for these particular vets because they even shed blood for their country and yet were treated badly for years by people in their own country, as were all Vietnam vets,” Cessna said. “One Buffalo veteran, when asked if he felt better about his service after participating in the flight, responded, ‘Yes, this is the first day that I can say that I am proud to be a Vietnam vet.'”

Pictured are Dennis Erickson and his cousin, Mark Erickson, an Air Force veteran who accompanied him on the trip.

The flight took place on June 16 and 17 and included four Chautauqua County veterans — Dennis Erickson from the Jamestown area; Greg Harle from between Ashville and Panama; James Lemanski from Fredonia; and Westley Tessey from South Dayton.

Each veteran was accompanied on the trip by a family member.

Erickson served in 1968 and 1969 as a combat medic. Lemanski served 32 years overall, starting by being drafted in 1967 and serving in Vietnam until Jan 1969. In 1975, he joined the National Guard, getting a full-time job there in the Acting General Reserve in 1987 and retiring in 2005.

Tessey served in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968, where he was awarded his Purple Heart. Harle was drafted at the age of 19 and served in the Army for three years. He did basic training in New Jersey, school in Georgia — where he also married his wife — advanced training in Arizona until 1966 when his unit went overseas to Vietnam. While there he became the company mail clerk and deliverer, serving until 1967. He then came home to Fort Gordon where he spent time instructing two classes in instructional school, and was discharged in 1969. While at Fort Gordon, his daughter was born in 1968. Following that, he returned to the civilian job he had before and “picked up where he left off.”

Each of the four veterans decided to go on the trip because they felt it would be a good opportunity.

Greg Harle is pictured with his daughter, Crystal Todd. Submitted photo

“A friend said they were doing it,” Lemanski said. “I wanted the chance to meet other Purple Heart veterans in the area. My friend pushed me to do it and I am glad that I did.”

Tessey said he had doubts at first but was also glad he decided to go. Erickson was asked to go, saying he felt it was a “wonderful opportunity.” Harle decided to go when called by Cessna.

“I thought I would probably never get the chance otherwise, and I wasn’t doing anything,” Harle said. “My wife passed away about three years ago. I thought it was the chance of a lifetime.”

All four veterans said they enjoyed the trip, but some highlights included the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Vietnam Wall.

“The whole trip was phenomenal,” Erickson said. “I enjoyed going around to look at the different monuments. I think my favorite part was the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We saw the Korean monument on Friday and they gave us a night tour of Washington which was interesting, too.”

Pictured are James Lemanski and his son, Jim Lemanski Jr., who is also an Army veteran. Submitted photo

All four veterans also praised the work of the people who put the trip together. Tessey said a highlight for him was getting to meet other veterans.

“I liked getting … together with other veterans who were also wounded in combat, so we all had something in common,” Tessey said. “The monuments and the tour were excellent. I can’t say enough about the people who put this all together. They didn’t just give a tour, they actually cared about what was going on and each individual person.”

Erickson enjoyed the sense of camaraderie that he found on the trip.

“It was nice to be able to do this with all of the veterans,” Erickson said. “The Honor Flight people did a tremendous job and we had a great time.”

Lemanski also had only good things to say about the Honor Flight staff.

Westley Tessey is pictured with his daughter, Jennifer Tessey. Submitted photo

“I am entirely grateful to the people that ran it and that I got to go see the monuments,” he said.

Harle agreed, saying that it was a lot of effort from a lot of people to put the trip on for them.

“It was nice to be remembered,” Harle said. “Over the years I have been satisfied by every so often people coming up to me in the store and thanking me for my service. That was enough for me, but it was well worth it to go on this trip.”

Additionally, Harle said he hopes that people will stop and say thanks when they see veterans, no matter what. While it might not have happened for himself very much at first, Harle currently has a grandson serving in Germany that he hopes people will thank for his service as well when he comes home.

For Tessey, the trip showed him how much the country still cares about veterans.

“I see in this country now a return to God and country,” Tessey said. “The amount of young people that were looking at the monuments with us or who met us at the airport and thanked us for our service was good to see. It’s good to see the country still honors veterans and people still care.”

The next Honor Flight is Oct. 14. The flight is completely free for veterans, and if interested in a spot, Cessna can be reached at 716-664-6256.