Elmer Girten, a veteran of General George Patton's Fifth Army, had his flight last year. He says, "The whole area was very outstanding. It made you stop and think."
Elmer will be 90 in July. At the end of World War II he shipped out to the Battle of the Bulge!
He tells us, "I made a mistake by qualifying as a sharp shooter with a carbine and a rifle and said they didn't need me as a band man, they needed me over with Patton to help fight the war."
But most of the war, Elmer did what Elmer still does --and that's play in a band. He says, "We played reviews for Patton when he decorated soldiers in our division headquarters."
He spent a lot of the war in USO canteens entertaining his fellow GIs.
To support the flights, the Stage Door Canteen is making a comeback, one day only, on Armed Forces Day May 21. Kevin Cesarz is the planner for Stage Door Canteen planner. He says, "Honor Flight now is working with the 180th fighter wing to recreate a stage door canteen."
They're looking for World War II veterans to enjoy the canteen and have lined up event sponsors to help make sure Honor Flights continue to happen.
Elmer says he hopes every vet out there gets the opportunity he did to take an honor flight.
At the canteen, it will be a chance to talk about the USO canteens of old. "Ingrid Bergman was in our outfit in Germany. I played in the 90th infantry division. I had my picture taken with her with my helmet and rifle on my shoulder."
We had to ask Elmer what's the secret to his great health and vigor at age 90! He told us, "Clean living and a good wife, exercise, a little music thrown in -- a lot of music. I play with three musical groups now."
The Stage Door Canteen will be held at the 180th Fighter Wing on S. Eber Rd. in Swanton. It runs from 2 to 8 p.m. on May 21.
Vets wishing to participate in Stage Door Canteen must contact Honor Flight Northwest Ohio or call Marti at 419-382-3569 to get tickets.
