Reaching 10,000 - AvaMaria "Gunny" Knight, Post Vietnam

Honor Flight Columbus is proud to be flying our 10,000th Veteran to Washington D.C. on October 10, 2024. To commemorate this significant milestone, we will be sharing the inspiring stories of 10 Veterans. Each story we share will represent 1,000 of the 10,000 Veterans we have had the honor of flying. Follow along as we honor, share, and celebrate the heroes of our country.

AvaMaria "Gunny" Knight was born on September 6, 1958. From a young age, she thrived on challenges. By 18, after a brief stint in college and a job in a local shop, she found life too ordinary and began exploring new possibilities. Inspired by her favorite cousin, a Vietnam veteran, she decided to enlist in the military. While many of her friends were joining the Army, Knight had been captivated by John Wayne’s movie, The Sands of Iwo Jima, leading her to choose the Marine Corps.

On a Friday in April of 1978, Knight enlisted. The Marine Corp told her that she needed to gain weight. Undeterred, she spent the weekend eating eggs, peanut butter, bananas, and cheese to meet the requirement. When she returned on Monday just a pound short of the required weight, she was instructed to drink a lot of water and “don’t go to the bathroom until you get to Parris Island.”

Knight left that Monday and told no one. Soon after there was a missing person’s bulletin put out on her behalf. The Marines forced her to call home to let her family know she was safe. Knight recalled her brother finding humor in the situation as she was required to address him as “sir” during the call. For Knight, enlisting was about embracing new challenges and forging a different path in life—one that meant leaving the old ways behind.

When she arrived at Boot Camp, Knight remembers having quite a smart mouth. She took a bus there and as soon as it stopped, drill instructors were yelling orders at the new recruits. Knight stayed seated, looking out the window at them. When a drill instructor asked if she was enjoying herself, she boldly replied, “I’m just waiting for you all to finish what you’re doing out there.” Immediately, she was thrown off the bus and realized, “this was real.” She thought to herself, “Dorothy, you aren’t in Kansas anymore.”

After Boot Camp, her training resumed at Parris Island. She attended BPA (Basic Personnel Admin) School. Her first duty station was in Hawaii. She remembers that she “cried like a baby” and did not want to go. The young Knight felt it was too far away from family. In retelling this part of her military service, Knight pointed out the irony of having enlisted in the first place for challenges and a new life, but here she was afraid to be so far from home. Knight called her mother, and she told Knight to go to Hawaii and “do something no one else had done” in their family.

To this day, Knight maintains connections with some of the people she served beside. In fact, her best friend is one of the people she served with in Okinawa. Reflecting on her experiences, she noted that as a female Marine, she always had to prove herself. “I couldn’t just do my job; I had to excel beyond the next person.” Though it was extremely tough at times, she never once considered quitting. “I was 8 months pregnant on a run,” Knight shared about the physically exhaustive training required by the Marine Corps. It was then on that run, that Knight went into labor.

The fact of military life for Knight and many other women is that their male counterparts were not pushed the same way. Knight said once she was in longer and was put into the position to push other women, she did. Now she looks back and sees that perhaps there were moments she could have been softer. However, she wanted the women to succeed and show their strength just as she had been encouraged to do when she first enlisted.  

Knight served for 20 years before she retired. Upon reflecting, she wishes she had been able to stay longer but had to make the choice for her family. In 2011 she began working with young Marines to teach them the discipline and leadership which so greatly impacted her.

At her retirement ceremony, her commanding General shared in his speech that “there are people that you are ready for them to go. Then there are people you know you are going to miss.” When he called her name, she remembers the crack in his voice which still touches her to this day. The moment of her retirement at Camp Lejeune hurt her deeply. She said leaving was the hardest thing she ever had to do. After her military service she worked for the Department of Defense but is now fully retired and lives in Hilliard, Ohio.

April 18, 2024, just shy of the 46th anniversary of her enlistment, Knight took her Honor Flight as part of Mission 130. While she had been stationed near the nation’s capital during her time in the military, she said that seeing the memorials with a group of Veterans was unlike anything she had ever done. She talked about seeing the faces of other Veterans as they encountered their memorials as having a huge impact on her. One of the Veterans on her mission was crying when he received the Welcome Home celebration. Knight said the gentleman told her that “if he had received that welcome home when he returned, everything would have been ok.”

This of course, put Knight in mind of her favorite cousin—the same cousin whose influence pushed her to enlist in the first place. She said she never understood why upon his return from Vietnam, the country greeted him with name calling and spitting. The way he was treated by the country he served contributed to his death. Her cousin is memorialized as part of the “In Memory” plaque near the Vietnam Wall which reads:

“In memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their sacrifice.”

For Knight, the most impactful moment during her Honor Flight occurred at the Vietnam Wall. She assisted a Veteran in finding a name on the wall and said that when he shared the story behind the name and his connection to it, he was so moved by emotion that it moved all of those around him. Knight encourages all servicemen and women to “do whatever they can to get on that Honor Flight.” In seeing all of the other Veterans, Knight was reminded of the vibrancy of the bases she was stationed, a life she fondly remembers.

Knight would tell any 18 year old looking to join the military that “it is probably the best decision you will ever make.” She learned a trade and skill, received two bachelor’s degrees, traveled to places she never would have been able to see, and became the person she is today because of the Marine Corps. She simply describes her experience as “amazing.”

Reaching 10,000 - Jimmy & Chris Hiles, Vietnam Veterans

Honor Flight Columbus is proud to be flying our 10,000th Veteran to Washington D.C. on October 10, 2024. To commemorate this significant milestone, we will be sharing the inspiring stories of 10 Veterans. Each story we share will represent 1,000 of the 10,000 Veterans we have had the honor of flying. This particular profile shares the story of a couple who served in the Marines and met during their service. Follow along as we honor, share, and celebrate the heroes of our country.

James (Jimmy) Hilles still remembers the very first time he saw a Marine wearing their Dress Blues. This impactful moment, while collecting donations for Toys for Tots, stuck with Hilles and he decided on the spot, “I gotta have one of those!” He officially enlisted in the USMC Reserves in 1968 while he was still in high school. By August of that year, he entered active duty and was stationed in San Diego where he referred to himself as a “Hollywood Marine.”

Originally, it was recommended to Hilles that his military occupational specialty (MOS) be cook, though he was assigned to be a truck driver in the motor pool. He recalled Gas Chamber training where they were exposed to controlled amounts of tear gas to teach them how to survive chemical attacks using their equipment. His fellow trainees would give each other a hard time because they were not permitted to leave the exercise until they perfected the necessary skills.

After basic training, Hilles was sent to Da Nang, Vietnam at just 18 years old. His brother, also in the service, was sent out of the war zone as Hilles entered it. Eventually, his commanding officer ordered him to serve as an MP (military police) and he was sent to Marine Corps Base Camp LeJune to train. This move would forever change his life; here he met his wife Christine (Chris).

Chris grew up in Northern Illinois and was also inspired at a young age to join the Marines. She enlisted in high school as she saw it as her “only choice.” Though her brother also served in the Marines, her father was reluctant to sign for her enlistment. However, he knew it was what Chris wanted and signed for her. She left for boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina just two weeks after her graduation. Like her husband, Chris recalled Gas Chamber training as the most difficult part of basic training.

She was assigned to MCAS Cherry Point as administrative support for the Military Police. During her service, she not only was trained in administrative support, but she learned to drive a ¾ Ton vehicle before she even had a civilian driver’s license.  While her company’s Gunny did not like her, she fondly remembers the other people with whom she served.

When she met Jimmy Hilles, she was a KP (kitchen police) in the Mess Hall. One of her friends was with Jimmy and introduced the two of them. Jimmy shared the memory of this meeting saying, “I knew that day. I told my friend I am going to marry that girl. And I did.” Jimmy and Chris were married at the chapel on base at Camp Lejeune. Chris’ family could not attend the wedding and instead, the Colonel in charge of MPs on the base gave her away and paid for their rehearsal dinner. Chris remarked, “Marine Corps family [is] just like that.”

After their service, the Hilles settled in Columbus. Chris said because she didn’t get to “horse around” after high school like other young people, she did that upon their return. Chris worked at JC Penney in Westland and then Eastland. Jimmy worked at The Ohio State University until he retired. Both Jimmy and Chris left the service with the rank of Sergeant E5. Chris said that “less than 2% were female and I earned my rank.” Their lives today stay busy with three cats and three dogs along with Jimmy’s service on the Knights of Columbus Council.

Together, the Hilles took their Honor Flight with Honor Flight Columbus on May 5, 2023, on Mission 121.  When they were asked what advice they had for people today from their experiences, they both gave similar responses. Jimmy said, “Be proud of our country and of the military, even if you didn’t serve. Those people keep you free.” Chris said, “Everybody needs to do something important and the military matters.”

Reaching 10,000 - Stanley Maybruck, WWII Veteran

Honor Flight Columbus is proud to be flying our 10,000th Veteran to Washington D.C. on October 10, 2024. To commemorate this significant milestone, we will be sharing the inspiring stories of 10 Veterans. Each story we share will represent 1,000 of the 10,000 Veterans we have had the honor of flying. Follow along as we honor, share, and celebrate the heroes of our country.

Stanley Maybruck was born on May 2, 1925. His mother, an immigrant from Poland, married his father a businessman in Ohio, and together they raised the Maybruck family. Once Maybruck was older, he decided to go to school to become a Dentist. He chose to pick up the profession because he was inspired by a favorite uncle who worked as a Dentist. He was attending The Ohio State University in his second quarter when he was drafted.

Maybruck completed his basic training at Camp Berkely in Texas. He was then sent to San Francisco to train as a dental technician for 2-3 months. After he completed his training as a technician, he was sent to Camp Chenango in Pennsylvania. This replacement depo was where he was until he was assigned to be a combat medic in the 4th infantry division. The military wanted combat medics, not dental technicians and Maybruck soon found himself on his way to Europe in the thick of World War II.

By the time Maybruck arrived at the port of embarkation in New York, the United States was planning for the Normandy Invasion. He arrived in England where he took a train to the coast to await orders for the Invasion to begin. After two weeks and completing training with his unit, he began his journey to Omaha Beach. Maybruck was part of the 12th or 13th wave on the beaches of Normandy and as a combat medic assigned to the front lines, he tried to help as many soldiers as he could. One particular soldier was in need and Maybruck made his way to take care of him when he was shot in the back by a sniper. He was taken out of Normandy and to England where he stayed for 5 months undergoing operations and medical care. Though he was ambulatory, his right arm was paralyzed. Finally, he was sent back to the United States to a hospital in Michigan.

Maybruck was discharged Aug 10th, 1945 and taken to a medical unit at Fort Hayes in Columbus, OH. He received care there 3-4 times a week to work on his right arm movement. During this time he attended college and was forced to use his left hand to write which made school tough for the right handed Private First Class Maybruck. He completed nine quarters at OSU when his father encouraged him to change fields and join the family business. Maybruck agreed and he has remained successful in his business ventures to this very day at the age of 99.

The Veteran of the Normandy Invasion and Purple Heart recipient took his Honor Flight May 15, 2022 on Mission 114. He shared that it was one of the most exhilarating experiences of his life. When asked more about his Honor Flight he shared,

“The people were so courteous… I can’t describe how much I enjoyed it and how much I remember. I don’t think a week goes by that I don’t think bout that trip. When you came home, they greet us and it was so exciting. I had tears in my eyes. I never, never had anything happen to me like that.”

Maybruck also shared that the only place he wanted to go in D.C. that he couldn’t during his trip was the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. His mother’s family including his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were all killed in the Holocaust. Less than 20 years old, Private First Class Stanely Maybruck fought to put an end to the Nazi Regime that killed his family, as a combat medic.

Maybruck confessed that he could not give advice to anybody saying, “I am just one person. I just tell them (the next generation) to be proud of our country and anytime you can be faithful—do something for your country.”