OC Veteran Travels To Washington as Part of Honor Flight 2018

OCEAN CITY – Ocean City resident and Korean War Veteran Fred Little’s military service was celebrated June 5 when he traveled to Washington courtesy of The Honor Flight Network, a non-profit organization that transports America’s veterans to visit memorials in the capital city.
Little served in the U.S. Air Force from 1953-1957, followed by two years in the Army Reserve, reaching the rank of Staff Sgt. in the Air Police. He was stationed at Rushmore Air Force Station in South Dakota, where the Atomic Energy Commission maintained and stored atomic weapons. He held a “critical top secret clearance.”
This is the eleventh year that Honor Flight of Southern New Jersey has sponsored a veteran’s trip to Washington. Activities began at Northfield Middle School, where students from the National Junior Honor Society held bake sales each month to raise funds for a limo bus.
“We are very proud of the students, citizens, and veterans from our area who work so hard to make each Honor Flight a success,” stated Mary Ann Devine, seventh grade teacher and National Junior Honor Society advisor at Northfield Community School.
The vets were next transported to Williamstown High School, where they were greeted with a police escort. The vets returned to Williamstown, following their Washington visit, for dinner and “mail call” (letters from family, friends and civic leaders) thanking them for their service.
“The participation by the students from Northfield and Williamstown was unbelievable,” stated Little. “They waited on us totally. It gives me such faith in the younger generation.”
Once in Washington, the vets toured the WWII Memorial, The Korean War Memorial, The Vietnam War Wall, and the Iwo Jima Memorial. The day’s events began at 5:30 a.m. and concluded when all vets returned home around 11 p.m.
“In addition to his military service, Fred Little is a founding member of Ocean City American Legion’s Sons of the American Legion Squadron 524,” stated Legion Commander Bob Marzulli. “In his youth, Fred earned the rank of Eagle Scout, proving that community and national service is a lifelong quality.”