Thank You

Pop,

Thank you for all of your smiles and stories. Thank you for your joyful spirit and genuineness. I have learned so much from you and your life. Most of all, thank you for your service. Without your patriotic dedication and willingness to fight for other’s freedom, we would not have the opportunities we have today. Thank you.

Nichole Russell

Hey Pop!

 

First, thank you for serving in the 8^th Air Force during WWII, and for sharing your story with me! Also, thank you for showing me how important it is to love people and smile. Your presence brings a sense of joy that can’t be ignored, and I am grateful for the joy you have put in my life. I pray you continue to show people Jesus’ love and continue to enjoy his blessings.

Kirk Metzger

 

Thank you, John, for showing me what a lifetime of faithful service to Christ looks like. Even though you have lived an adventurous and honorable life, you remain humble and put the needs of others before your own. You have served your country courageously, you raised your family with dignity, and earned the respect of all those around you. The world is a better place because you’re in it, John, so thank you.

 

Arielle Pearson

 

 

John,

I am so glad that you came on this trip. When I found out that I was picked to go on the trip I started praying that God would put me with the most amazing man. Within the first few hours of knowing you I knew God had answered my prayers. You taught me so much in the last twelve days about the war and your experience in it. You’ve also taught me what it looks like to be a true man of God. You were an amazing example of what it means to live life and live it to the fullest. You took each chapter of your life with all you had and you set goals then accomplished them. I love when you would talk about your wife and how after 67 years you still couldn’t go a day without telling your wife you miss her and love her. John, thank you so much for pouring so much wisdom into me these past two weeks. Know that I love you and will never forget you.

Duncan Tillack
 

Dear Walter,

You already know how thankful I am for you and for what you've done. So I just want to thank you for always being so kind, generous, and sweet to me on this trip. You have such a big heart! You made everyone feel special. So thank you, not just for what you did in the war, but for what you do daily to show the love of Christ.

 

I love you!

Ramsey-Michele Pruitt

 

 

Dearest Walter,

 

What a remarkable twelve days this has been! I truly feel blessed to have had the opportunity to share this experience with you. I came into this trip expecting to learn about war and patriotism, but you have taught me so much more. You have shown me how the human spirit can thrive even in the darkest of times. You have given me jokes and quips to keep me laughing for years to come. You have taught me so much about life and what it means to keep God at the center of all I do. I am forever changed because of you. Thank you for everything!

Love,

Matt Matney

 

 

Don,

I will always cherish the great memories and stories you've shared with us as we embarked on this great journey. Our interactions were truly special, and I'm so happy we were paired together. You're always in my heart!

 

Kristiana Nordstrom

 

 

Dear Don,

 

Thank you for the wonderful time we had together in England! I enjoyed hearing all of your stories about your service in World War II and am glad to know that I will get to share them with others throughout my life. You have made a significant impact on my life and I am grateful that we met. May you continue to trudge on in this life and share with others your experiences as they are truly exhilarating!

 

Your friend,

 

Rick Koretoff

 

Dale,

 

I want to thank you for sharing stories of your life experiences with me. I will cherish the invaluable advice you have given me. The time we have spent together during this trip has been amazing and I will never forget it! You have impacted my life in countless ways and for this I want to express my sincerest gratitude.

 

Sincerely,

 

Stephanie Clark

 

 

Dale,

 

Words cannot express my thanks for the service you have done for me and the people in the United States. It was a privilege and honor to be with you on this trip. You kept everyone laughing, including me. Your outlook on Christianity is amazing. Your optimism and outlook on life is so uplifting. I loved hearing your stories and laughing at your jokes. You are an inspiration to me, Dale. I am so glad I was able to meet you and I hope you keep in touch with me. I hope to be able to come visit you! You will continue to be in my prayers.

 

Love,

 

Jesse Henderson

 

 

 

Tom,

 

First of all, I want to thank you for serving for our country. You are delightful to be around, and you bring a smile to anyone's face! Thank you for spending the past 12 days with us. They were very full days, and I am so glad that Brandon and I got to spend them with you! You were so incredibly fun to be around, and brought much laughter to our group! :) Thank you for sharing your stories with us. We cannot thank you enough for the sacrifices you have made for our freedom. It was an absolute pleasure getting to know you, and an honor serving you! We will see you soon...

 

Lots of love,

 

Melissa Moore

 

 

Dear Tom,

 

Thank you so much for your service, first of all. I appreciate your passion for government and commitment to values in a time when it seems some are throwing those values out the window. Thank you so much for allowing me to get to know you and listen to your account of WWII. I will never forget this trip and the memories we made here.

 

Your friend,

 

Brandon Ashbee

 

Dear Mack,

 

I cannot fully express my appreciation of you coming on this trip! Your stories, experience, and firsthand knowledge of the sites and events of WWII brought them to life to me in a way that nothing else could have. I so enjoyed your sense of humor and ability to brighten up the room with a song or a laugh! All in all I want to say thank you for making this trip not only fun but truly life changing. And thank you for your service, not only in WWII but also to veterans since then.

 

Much love,

 

Laura Virnig

 

 

Mack,

 

Thank you for teaching me as much with your actions as you did with your stories. You led by example and opened my eyes to the joy that can be found in a simple smile or laugh. Mack, you have taught me many things, all of which I aim to share with those around me so that they may never be forgotten.

 

Brock Schrag

 

Hi there Bill!

 

It was an honor to be partnered up with you on this trip. You have lived an incredible life of service and I’d like to thank you for letting Eddie and me learn from your vast array of knowledge. God bless you, dear friend.

 

With love,

 

Anna Zachary

 

 

Dear Bill,

Thank you for coming in this trip with us You made it fun for all of us, Especially Anna and me. Your sense of humor and free spirit always kept us on our toes. Thank you and God bless.

Eddie Sterling