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.”

Reaching 10,000 - Emeline Golden, Vietnam Era

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.

Emeline Golden was born the middle child of her family on August 7, 1945. She had 10 brothers and 2 sisters, most of whom served in the military. Golden enlisted herself after having been out of school for about a year working in Hancock, MD at London Fog, a raincoat company. With so many of her siblings having served in the military, she was familiar with the idea and spoke with a recruiter to enlist in the army.

Golden was sent to complete her basic training in Fort McClellan, Alabama in September of 1964. She remembers basic fondly sharing that if people were to thank her for being there, she would have responded, “thank you for having me.” The organization and regimental activities appealed to her, and she appreciated the routine. After completing basic and service school at Fort Sam in Houston, Texas as a medical corpsman, she was assigned to Fort Mead, MD. She was sent to work at the OB ward at Kimbrough Army Hospital. This was a new experience for her, and it was especially difficult at times when families did not have a healthy birth to celebrate.

Eventually, she asked to be reassigned to the ER. Golden enjoyed the work in the ER and took a lot of pride in being able to help the community in this way. She met several people in the medical corps while working in the ER who were shipped off to Vietnam. She was informed that they never made it, as their helicopter had been shot down before it could land. Though this certainly was a challenging blow to her experience, her work as a medic there was fulfilling. At this time, medics in the ER were able to do a lot of the same work that nurses did. Golden’s assignment at Kimbrough not only gave her interesting work, but it was there she met her husband, Ray, who also served in the army.

After three years of service, Golden was discharged on September 28, 1967. She was also four months pregnant. Ray was still in the army and the couple moved to Laurel, MD to be close to where he was stationed. While Golden was no longer in the military herself, her service to the country continued. Ray served in the military for 22 years. The family was stationed in Japan for a time at Camp Oji, Camp Zama, and Tachikawa where her son was born. Though they were moved from place to place, she had friends who seemed to always follow. Jim and Janet were similarly stationed alongside the Goldens. Golden commented that her life in the military was good. She moved to Ohio just three years ago, and has joined us in calling this great state home.

When asked about what Golden would share with the next generation she said,

“I was raised in Hancock, Maryland, and I wasn't exposed to a lot of different people. [But] in the Army.  You learn to depend on each other…  You learn to love each other, back each other up, keep care of each other, and you learn that camaraderie.”

She believes that every child should see the war memorials in Washington DC to understand what our Veterans have done for this country.

Golden has not yet taken her Honor Flight but is scheduled to be on the October 10th flight where we will celebrate flying our 10,000th Veteran. She said she is excited most about the people she will meet and was “tickled pink” about being booked on the flight. In addition to the Vietnam Wall, the Korean War Memorial has a special place in her heart as she lost a cousin during the conflict.

She shared with us that if she could, she would still fight for our country today. Her bravery and valor represent so many Veterans who would say the very same thing. Honor Flight Columbus is eager to honor Golden with her flight—a well deserved experience.

Reaching 10,000 - David Caldwell, 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.

David Caldwell was born to David Thompson and Helen Adelgunde Caldwell on April 25, 1923 in Pennsylvania. By 1930, the family had moved to Columbus, Ohio. Caldwell was the eldest of two children, including a sister Mary who was four years his junior. He attended North High School in Columbus for four years, graduated in 1941 and declared his intention to attend Ohio State University. Around this time, Caldwell met the love of his life, Dorothy Eleanor Ohlendorf. The pair met in church and soon became a couple. However, instead of finishing his college degree and settling into the domestic life in Columbus, Caldwell followed the call of his country.

By 1942, the United States had joined the Allied forces to fight against the Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan). In January, Japanese forces began attacking the Philippines and the Allied forces set up a combined force in the south-west Pacific known as ABDA (American, British, Dutch, and Australian). War in the Pacific theatre was in full swing. At the age of 19, Caldwell registered for the draft in 1942. Just two years later, in 1944 at the age of 21, he enlisted at Ft. Thomas Newport, Kentucky. Caldwell was part of the 5th Air Force Bomber Crew, 380th Bombardment Group stationed in the Pacific Theater. When he became attached to the 531st Bombardment Squadron, unit had been moved to Murtha Strip, San Jose, Mindoro Island, and the Philippines where they joined the remaining parts of the 5th Air Force in attacks on Formosa, Indo China, Japanese areas of the Philippines, and China. Caldwell himself, was stationed in the Philippines. He was a Tail Gunner on the B-24 aircraft, “Free for All!!!” under Aircraft Commander Leonard Mincks.

The 380th Bombardment Group were known as the Flying Circus and King of the Heavens. Groups were formed around the operational use of specific aircraft. In this case, the B-24 Liberator Bomb was utilized for heavy bombardment related to reconnaissance missions. Caldwell’s role as tail gunner meant that he was responsible for the defense of his aircraft during missions. This dangerous position gave tail gunners a short life expectancy. Some sources say life expectancy for tail gunners was six to eight weeks, others say only about four flights, or two weeks. Despite the dangers of his deployment, Caldwell continued to stay connected to his life back home. In one letter, he included a poem detailing how he felt about being so far away from her:

“Memories”

I’ll always remember the nite I went away,

I wondered then would I see her again someday?

The miles between us are very great,

And she is so far away…

Although we’re apart, she seems nearer everyday.

I think of the many happy times we had,

Of starry evenings, moonlit skies…

The times I held her hand.

We forgot the world, the war and strife,

We were young, happy, and just beginning life.

I think of a beautiful smiling girl,

With laughing eyes and a golden curl.

Of the times I held her in my arms,

And told her of her many charms.

The softness of her lips, the fragrance of her hair…

The many times I told her how much I care.

We’ve faced death in flak infested skies,

Always, I see her lovely face before my very eyes.

And then, the thought returns to me again…

Will I see her again someday, and when?

Caldwell was fortunate to survive the missions his crew embarked on and eventually flew home to Dorothy. Not everyone in his crew was given the same opportunity. Under Minck as part of the 115 crew, Caldwell’s comrades in the positions of Pilot, Navigator, and Radio Operator were killed on September 8, 1845 somewhere between the mission’s destination and where they were stationed. This was only one month before the entire crew was to take part in Operation Sunset.

October 18, 1945 Operation Sunset ordered the return of aircrafts and their crew to the United States. This included Caldwell and the rest of the crew of the Free For All!!!. Staff Sergeant David Caldwell was honorably discharged in 1946. Having finished his service, Caldwell began a career in the grocery business in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Caldwell finally married Dorothy on June 6, 1949 in their hometown of Columbus. Together they had four children. They continued their lives in Columbus and Caldwell finally retired after 70 years in the grocery business in 2003.

Six years later, Caldwell took his Honor Flight with Honor Flight Columbus on November 7, 2009 (Mission 29). He joined other World War II Veterans on the trip of a lifetime to see his memorial in Washington D.C. As the 15th anniversary of his flight approaches, Honor Flight Columbus continues to operate under the very same mission it did when it first began.

“To honor America’s senior Veterans with a trip to Washington D.C. to visit the nation’s memorials. To help them share their stories, To celebrate and affirm their service and homecoming.”

Caldwell passed away May 25, 2018 just after his 95th birthday. In a letter he wrote to Honor Flight Columbus, Caldwell stressed the importance of participating in an Honor Flight:

“I want to sincerely thank you… Honor Flight for the great flight to D.C. to see the World War II memorial… I was pleased to see young people involved they have to get involved because if they don’t stand up for America our freedoms… will be taken away. For hundreds of years we have fought and many have died to protect our country and our freedoms.”

The memory of Caldwell is made up of sacrifice, honor, and love. He wrote to Honor Flight Columbus another letter detailing the beauty and grace of his late wife of 55 years. While his country meant a lot to him, it was Dorothy who held his heart. She came before, during, and after his service to his country—and perhaps, she was a motivating reason he wanted so much to protect his country.