North Franklin World War II vet flies on vintage plane
“It looks like it’s going to be comfortable!”
That’s what Raymond West of North Franklin Township said Thursday morning as he peered inside the B-17 in which he was going to be spending the next half-hour of his long life.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Raymond West takes a walk around a display of World War II-era planes on display Thursday at Washington County Airport.
A 98-year-old veteran of World War II, his time during the war was mostly spent on the ground, some of it in German concentration camps, and not in the air. But on Thursday, he and his grandson, Ryan Fowler, climbed aboard the B-17 as the Wings of Freedom tour decamped from the Washington County Airport to the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport outside Butler.
A lively almost-centenarian, West set aside his cane and was hoisted into the back of the plane, West said he had no qualms about stepping aboard the plane, which is more than 70-years-old and has, by modern standards, pretty tight quarters. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said, as the crew of the plane prepared it for takeoff. “I’m eager to go.”
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Raymond West awaits his flight on a Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress at the Washington County Airport.
The B-17 was one of four planes that were at the airport from Monday through Thursday. The Wings of Freedom tour is sponsored by the Collings Foundation, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization dedicated to living-history events, and maintains a collection of vintage planes and automobiles. The stop at Washington County Airport was part of a months-long tour that will take it to Harrisburg, Philadelphia, New York and Connecticut in the weeks ahead.
The Collings Foundation allows individuals to fly on the planes, but they see relatively few World War II veterans taking the opportunity, according to Jamie Mitchell, the tour coordinator, because there are fewer and fewer of them around, and the planes are not handicapped-accessible.
West served in the U.S. Army and was a prisoner of war in two German concentration camps. In a little more than four months he lost 60 pounds. For his service he won a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and other honors.
Another local World War II veteran was present Thursday as the planes left the airport. Peter Ladisic, a 94-year-old from Cokeburg who lost a leg in the war, was able to look inside one of the planes.
“It was pretty emotional,” said Kim Thompson, Ladisic’s daughter.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Raymond West, a 98-year-old World War II Army veteran from North Franklin Township, stands beside the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress he flew in Thursday with his grandson.