A local veteran recently participated in an Honor Flight, joined by a fellow veteran friend on a day trip they both described as an unforgettable experience.

Jim Hearren now resides in Waterloo, though he originally lived in St. Clair County and attended Cahokia High School.

He graduated from high school in 1967, signing up for the Navy right after he turned 18 as he hoped to avoid traveling directly to Vietnam.

Hearren further spoke about how he wound up in the military, recalling how he was, on one occasion, late for a bus he regularly took to see friends. Looking to bide his time, he found himself stepping inside a nearby recruiting office and got signed up.

As he described, most of his military experience was spent stationed in California working in an amphibious construction battalion.

He later wound up spending eight months in Japan followed by six months in Vietnam.

Hearren didn’t particularly recall any specific memories of his service that stood out to him, instead describing his experience more generally.

“It was just a strange time,” Hearren said. “It was a crazy war. It was just unreal.”

In contrast to the experience of many Vietnam veterans, Hearren said he doesn’t remember a tremendously negative reception as he returned home.

He suggested that many individuals at the time who compared the war to World War II were displeased at not getting the sort of welcome that those soldiers got upon their return.

Hearren noted he was never “spit on,” and only in looking back at his past has he taken any notice of the lack of recognition.

“I got out,” Hearren said. “I was happy to get out because I was away from home and wanted to get back home to my family, but I never dealt with anything like that and don’t know anybody in my circle of friends, guys who were over there, that dealt with nothing like that.”

Joining Hearren on the honor flight was his friend and fellow veteran Anthony Lobosco, who resides in Freeburg.

Lobosco similarly recalled his military experience, saying he spent a few years in the Marines during the Vietnam War.

He attended Military Occupational Specialty training at Montford Point in North Carolina. Later traveling to California, he recalled having missed out on a Mediterranean tour with some of his peers from training.

As Lobosco said, he never wound up going overseas, instead staying in California at an in-transit barracks, a place where those returning from the war would stay until they were given their next assignments.

At this station, Lobosco said he was able to experience much of the Vietnam War, at least vicariously.

“I met and talked with a lot of vets that came back from Vietnam, so in some ways I lived what they did,” Lobosco said. “Every story that I heard was unbelievable.”

The Land of Lincoln Honor Flight is a regular event which provides Illinois veterans not only a tour of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., but also an experience that honors and recognizes them for their service.

As Lobosco said, Hearren heard about the trip to D.C. and invited him to go.

While many veterans who participate are accompanied by a family member, Hearren and Lobosco, both in decent health, were able to share a volunteer chaperone.

Hearren provided a detailed recap of the Aug. 22 trip, including the early departure out of the Springfield airport at 5 a.m.

Following a roughly hour and a half flight, the many veterans in attendance – largely consisting of Vietnam War veterans and a few Korean War veterans – were taken around the capital to see a variety of memorials and other landmarks.

Hearren noted the first few visits to the World War II Memorial and Korean War Memorial as well as the visit to Arlington Cemetery.

He also spoke with much reverence about being able to see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Both he and Lobosco offered great praise for the D.C. tour overall, particularly in regard to how the trip went so smoothly.

“I was really amazed at how they had that thing all planned out,” Lobosco said. “The organization that does this here in Illinois, they do an excellent job of putting this thing together.”

While the sightseeing and visit to the National Air and Space Museum were certainly memorable for them, they each spoke at length about the experience they had returning home.

During the flight back, every veteran on the plane participate in a mail call,  getting a packet containing various letters and cards expressing appreciation for their service.

Hearren noted how he received a letter from his family as well as a handful of cards that his chaperone had gotten from his own friends and family.

He further recalled being given a handkerchief along with the packet of notes. As he said, the whole plane was crying.

The final and, perhaps, best part of the day came as they landed back at the airport in Springfield. Following a lengthy period of sitting around in the plane, the veterans were greeted to a crowd of roughly 1,000 people in the airport’s reception area eager to show their appreciation.

“It was almost 10:30 at night on a school night and there’s little kids there, there’s older people clapping and cheering,” Hearren said. “I guess that was the homecoming that the guys that didn’t get the homecoming when they got out, that was what they’re getting now.”

Both Hearren and Lobosco emphasized the impact this welcome had on them, from the many children who greeted them to the waving signs that thanked them.

Much like the mail call on the plane, quite a few tears were shed among the veterans.

“It was something I’ll never forget,” Hearren said. “Made everything worthwhile.”

That sentiment stands for the entire Honor Flight experience between Hearren and Lobosco.

Both veterans spoke incredibly highly of the trip, urging any veterans to take the opportunity and participate in a free and memorable visit to the capital.

“I gotta give that an A+,” Lobosco said. “If somebody ever has the opportunity to go on one of these Honor Flights, they should not pass it up.”

For more information on honor flights, visit landoflincolnhonorflight.org.