Credit Union Donates Over $24,000 to Send Veterans to Washington

Fresno, CA A group of 69 World War II veterans from Central California traveled to Washington, D.C., to see their memorial in late October on the inaugural Central Valley Honor Flight, thanks in part to a large donation from Educational Employees Credit Union.

EECU donated $24,250, which helped establish the Honor Flight chapter and covered about 20 percent of the trips expenses. EECU pledged $50 to the organization for every auto loan financed from mid- to late May. Al Perry, Central Valley Honor Flight president, said he was grateful for EECUs donation and was pleased with the chapters first trip to the nations capital. "It was a huge success, better than I ever imagined," Perry said. The WWII veterans were beaming with pride and truly thankful to see their memorial, a fitting tribute to a generation of soldiers who, as Perry said, stopped "tyranny throughout the world." Willard Ballanger, 89, said visiting the memorial took him back seven decades to his service with the Army's 80th Infantry Division as a 19-year-old. "This is wonderful for the history of this great country of ours," he said. The WWII veterans also visited many other memorials, witnessed the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, and were guests at a Library of Congress lunch hosted by members of Congress from the central San Joaquin Valley. The veterans, ranging in age from their mid-80s to mid-90s, were extremely appreciative of the flight's donors, organizers and guardians who made the three-day trip possible. "Thank you, Lord, for all those kind people," said Nick Carter, 89, an Army Air Force veteran. The recently established Central Valley Honor Flight chapter is one of more than 100 hubs across the U.S. devoted to sending veterans to Washington to commemorate their sacrifice and service to our country. The Central Valley chapters next Honor Flight trip is planned for spring 2014. Photo: World War II veterans Paul Davis, left, and Bill Bromm reminisce at their memorial during the inaugural Central Valley Honor Flight trip in October.