Six residents from Quail Park on Cypress, an independent and assisted living community in Visalia, recently soared above the city of Visalia on 15-minute flights in a fully restored Boeing-Stearman biplane.
On April 20, Dream Flights, a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring military veterans and seniors, flew the six veterans one at a time in an aircraft that had been used to train U.S. Navy and Army pilots during World War II.
The flights all took off from Visalia Municipal Airport. The pilot was Molly Flanagan Littlefield.
“The foundation literally owns seven Stearman’s like this, and we go around the country giving senior veterans flights just because we want to honor senior veterans,” Littlefield said about Dream Flights. “There are a lot of ways that veterans are honored, but this is our way. We do it on a one-to-one basis.”
The Stearman is flown because of its connection to World War II, and was used to teach the majority of wartime pilots, according to Littlefield.
“My dad was an instructor in World War II, so after the war, he and my mother married and they bought one of these airplanes,” she said. “Not this particular one, but he taught me to fly in this one.”
Rick Chappell, who served in the U.S. Air Force, had the first flight, which he described as “wonderful.”
“You see everything,” he said. “I’ve been on a plane before, but not this small. It was very exciting. I could see right down to Jostens where I worked for 20 years, and we went right over.”
Did he also see Quail Park on Cypress?
“You know, I wasn’t looking for it,” he said. “I’m sure we went over it.”
Others who were flown over Visalia included: Marilyn Hughes, who served as a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Reserve; Jack Riley, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War; Richard Ortega, who served in the U.S. Army; Tim Scott, who served as a lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps; and James Stewart, who served four years in the U.S. Navy.
“We are honored to support our residents as they take part in this incredible experience,” said Trevin Willis, Quail Park on Cypress executive director. “Providing a platform to recognize the service of our resident veterans is a highlight for our entire community.”
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Six senior veterans given ‘Dream Flights’ above Visalia
Reporting by Steve Pastis, Visalia Times-Delta / Visalia Times-Delta
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
