World War II veteran and VNA Homecare patient James Hall (left) and VNA Homecare Physical Therapist Tim Lavallee pose for a photo beside the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
(Syracuse, NY – July 12 2015) Bittersweet. That’s the word 90-year-old VNA Homecare patient James Hall uses to describe his recent trip to Washington D.C. as a member of Honor Flight Syracuse’s fifth mission.
A veteran of World War II, Hall was one of 81 military veterans invited to participate in the all-expenses-paid trip to our Nation’s Capitol. Accompanying him for this once-in-a-lifetime experience was VNA Homecare Physical Therapist Timothy Lavallee, himself a veteran of the Air National Guard.
Like so many of the staff at VNA Homecare, Lavallee takes a personal approach to the care he provides to Hall and his other patients. He believes the success of caring for someone at home goes beyond clinical care and extends to the patient’s emotional, social and mental wellbeing.
“It’s about caring for the whole person,” he explained, “not just the patient.”
Lavallee’s commitment to this method of caring was evidenced when he encouraged Hall to apply for the Honor Flight, an experience he knew Hall would find both enjoyable and cathartic. He completed the application on Hall’s behalf last February, a process that included verifying Hall’s branch of service, rank, and years of active duty. Within weeks, Hall received a letter informing him that he’d been chosen to participate in the Honor Flight scheduled for April 25, 2015. The letter also stated that Hall would need to choose a Guardian to accompany him on the trip. Guardians play a significant role on every Honor Flight, ensuring that the veterans have a safe and memorable experience. After discussing the trip with his wife, Hall decided there was no one he’d rather have serve as his Honor Flight Guardian than Lavallee.
“Tim has done so much for us,” said Hall’s wife, Madeline. “He has truly become a member of our family, and we knew Jim would be safe and comfortable in his company.”
The local hub of the national Honor Flight Network, Honor Flight Syracuse is a non-profit organization created solely to honor America’s veterans for their sacrifices and service to our country. Twice each year, groups of veterans are flown on private jets from Syracuse to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where they’re greeted as celebrities; local fire fighters welcome them with a water canon salute, members of the airport ground crew wave American flags from their positions on either side of the runway, and throngs of civilians wait to shake the veterans’ hands and thank them for their service. From the airport, the veterans are escorted to luxury motor coaches, which transport them to and from the various memorials they visit during their trip.
A man of few words, Hall relies on the photo album Lavallee created for him to relate his memories of the trip. Flipping through the pages, he pauses at a photo of the World War II Memorial. Tears fill his eyes as he points at one of the 4,048 gold stars adorning the Freedom Wall, each representing 100 Americans who died in the war. On the facing page is a photo depicting the memorials to three of the five battles Hall participated in as a 20mm anti-aircraft gunner in the United States Navy.
“This trip brought back a lot of memories,” Hall said, “both happy and sad. It was good to remember, and nice to know that our service has not been forgotten.”
Hall enlisted in the United States Navy in 1942. At just 17 years old, he was too young to enlist without parental consent, so his mother accompanied him to the recruitment office, where the simple act of signing her name changed her son’s life forever.
Stationed on submarine chaser PC 1119 in the Pacific Theater, Hall participated in five major battles during the invasion of the Philippines. He can recall each in great detail, including the rescue of the survivors of the sinking of the USS Gambier Bay. As he relates, the PC 1119 arrived at the scene of the destruction to find several of the surviving servicemen thrashing wildly amongst the waves.
“They were being attacked by sharks,” he said. “The ocean was red with blood.”
Like the millions of men and women who served our country during the war, Hall has countless stories similar to this one; stories of pain and suffering, sacrifice and loss, but also stories of incredible courage, unbroken faith and ultimate triumph.
For Hall, that moment of triumph came while aboard a troop transport ship heading for California. Two of his brothers, both marines, had lost their lives in combat. His mother, grieving the loss of her sons and fearful of losing Hall as well, had petitioned to have him recalled from service. War weary and dejected, Hall could hardly believe it when the announcement was made; Japan had surrendered to the allies. The war was over.
Hall related this memory to Lavallee during the flight back to Syracuse, but his story was interrupted when Honor Flight volunteers announced Mail Call. Each veteran was presented with a packet stuffed full of handwritten letters and cards from their friends, family and local school students. Hall’s packet included letters from the students of Lavallee’s wife’s first grade class, as well as a letter from VNA Homecare President and CEO Kate Rolf that was signed by hundreds of the organization’s employees.
“It was incredibly moving” Lavallee said. “Save for the sound of shuffling papers, the plane was silent as the veterans read their letters.”
When the veterans returned to Syracuse, they once again received a hero’s welcome by a crowd of friends, family and well-wishers gathered at the airport. The “Welcome Home Ceremony” included bagpipe music, a veterans’ parade and remarks by local politicians and service members.
“I never expected anything like this in all my life,” Hall said. “When I came home from the war, I didn’t even get a honk of a horn, and then, 70 years later, I get a welcome that is just out of this world.”
Many of the mementos Hall received as a participant of the Honor Flight still sit on a table in his living room; a reminder of a very special day that a veteran returned home – again.