Halos and Heroes 2008
By Stephen Chapis

As in 2007, H&H 2008 came with a story of tragedy and triumph involving the child of a veteran. This story actually begins at the 2007 event. While Heidi was immersed in the technical and logistical hustle and bustle of the day, she met two children who would leave a lasting impression on her memories of the event. Seven year old John Valentine and his sister Meghan presented Heidi with a $500 contribution check. Their parents, Tom and Christine Valentine, beamed with pride and joy. The Valentine children magnify all that is good in the human spirit.

In late summer of 2008, while preparing for the 2nd Annual event, Heidi’s phone rang. On the other end of the line was Christine Valentine. Christine informed Heidi that her son John was again in the midst of raising money for ACV. She continued to say that John had a goal of raising more money than he did last year. However, this year’s donations would be given in the name of his father. In February, Tom Valentine, a Navy SEAL, lost his life during parachute training in Arizona. He had served America in Iraq and Afghanistan and was highly decorated by the Navy and the Marine Corps for his courageous service to our country that he loved and honored. In true red-white-and-blue American fashion, John has turned his sorrow and tragedy into triumph by making his latest contribution a tribute to his dad. John has turned this donation to ACV into a living memorial as John and his dad will become part of a continuing healing process for others who bravely serve America. It is an inspiring story of a boy who has great pride in God, his father, his country, and the United States Navy.

In 2007, John surprised Heidi with his contribution check; in 2008, it was Heidi’s turn to surprise John, would be part of the show.

This year’s air demonstration involved four T-6/ SNJ aircraft, an F4U-5NL Corsair from the Collings Foundation, P-51D Double Trouble Two and B-25J Wild Cargo from The Fighter Factory. The first aircraft to take-off was the fl light of T-6s. They took off separately, and then formed up a few miles northwest of the airport. The field was quiet again and everyone eagerly awaited the start of the Mustang, Mitchell, and Corsair.

At this time Heidi and Christine Valentine informed young John that he would ride in the backseat of the P-51 during the air demo. The boy was ecstatic as this had been his dream. He could hardly contain himself as Heidi introduced him to Jerry Yagen. As Jerry pre-flighted the P-51 and spoke to camera crews from CBS, the Fighter Factory ground crewman lifted John into the backseat of the Mustang, strapped him in, fitted the headset, and even gave him a pair of Nomex flight gloves. With John firmly belted into the backseat, Jerry climbed onto the Mustang’s wing and slid into the front seat. He looked over his shoulder to ask John if he was ready to go. The boy replied with an enthusiastic “YES!” Jerry was followed by Christine, who leaned into the cockpit to wish her son a wonderful ride. Before stepping off the wing she patted Jerry on the shoulder as if to say, “Take care of my boy.” Within a few minutes, Jerry had started the big Rolls-Royce and taxied down the grass runway.

The first aircraft to take-off was the B-25, and it was the most impressive. Wild Cargo rotated and lifted-off just as it approached the crowd. The sound of the engines echoing off the hangers and trees was fantastic. A minute later Double Trouble Two emerged over the mid-field hump in the runway and rocketed past the crowd. In the rear cockpit one could just make out the top of John’s head, but was easy to see was his hand waving madly at the crowd. Finally, the Dash 5 Corsair thundered down the runway and pulled into a tight left turn out of the pattern. This began a 30-minute demonstration that featured numerous low passes by the P-51D, B-25J, and F4U-5NL plus medium altitude formation fl y-bys by the four T-6s. The most exciting fl y-by, to the author anyway, was the first pass by Wild Cargo. The pilot pushed the big Mitchell down until they were just 75 feet above the runway, and right before reaching the crowd, the bomb bay doors snapped open.

After 20 minutes in the air Yagen brought Double Trouble Two in for a beautiful landing. As soon as John jumped down off the Mustang’s wing he began to regale his mother with the tales of his flight, complete with hand gestures. The B-25 and two of the T-6s continued fl y-bys for another 10 minutes before landing.

As the demo was drawing to a close, everyone moved to the “Navy Hanger” for the evening’s festivities. A huge stage had been set-up in the center of the hanger and was flanked by a TBM Avenger and an AD-4 Skyraider. This year’s ceremony went much the same way as in 2007, except that veterans of World War Two and Korea who were present received special recognition. Forty-two of these older veterans from Hampton Roads had been featured in a book, Sacred Glances, published by Mercy Medical Airlift and edited by Suzanne Rhodes. Their stories, including tales of Pearl Harbor, the Battle of the Bulge, a Japanese prison camp, and many other harrowing events, were accompanied by vintage and current photographs of each veteran. Earlier in the afternoon, 10 of the men told their stories in the museum area of the airport to an enthralled audience.

At the evening ceremony, all veterans of America’s past and current wars were honored for their service. In addition, an Iraq veteran, retired Marine Corps Major Mike Zacchea, told his inspiring story of being wounded and of his long road to recovery. Several wounded veterans who had been flown down from Walter Reed Army Medical Center by Angel Flight pilots were given certificates of appreciation for their service. Ezra M. Hill of the famous Tuskegee Airmen sang an emotional version of “God Bless America” followed by Heidi Greer bringing John Valentine to the stage. John presented ACV with his donations (which by the end of 2008 totaled $10,000 +) and he was presented a document and named an official ACV Representative.

The final event of the night was a 75 minute concert put on by the Charlie Daniels Band. Charlie Daniels, the legendary Southern Rock guitarist and fiddler, has been a long time supporter of America’s armed forces. Over the years he has played for U.S. Troops in Germany, Greenland, Cuba (three times), South Korea (four times), Bosnia, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq (twice as of May 2007), on-board the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and numerous stateside bases on the Spirit of America Tour. In June 2007, Charlie Daniels received the Defense Department’s top civilian award, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service, for his contribution to troop morale. The band concluded their show with a patriotic song that ended with instrumental renderings of God Bless America and The Star Spangled Banner. By the time the song was over everyone in attendance was on their feet with their hands on their hearts.

The second annual Halos & Heroes celebration, built on the momentum of the first event, was a great success in terms of the fun and funds raised as well as the opportunity to honor members of our military. A date has already been set for the 3rd annual celebration in October, 2009. The author would like to thank the following individuals for assistance in writing this article: Ed Boyer; President and CEO of Mercy Medical Airlift; Heidi Greer, Public Outreach and Financial Development Director, Air Compassion for Veterans, and Executive Assistant to the President, Mercy Medical Airlift; Suzanne Rhodes, Director of Public Affairs, Mercy Medical Airlift and Angel Flight Mid- Atlantic; and Gerald Yagen, businessman, Warbird collector, and pilot. Information was also sourced from the following websites; www.fighterfactory.com, www.AirCompassionForVeterans.org. www. stripes.com, www.spiritofamericatour.org, and www.HalosandHeroes.org. Would you like to help ensure that our wounded warriors continue to have access to medically-related air transport and specialized medical treatment? If so, visit the ACV website and contribute to this most compassionate of organizations. Who deserves it more than the defenders of freedom?

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