An Honorable Mission

World War II veteran Ray Daves recently went to Washington, D.C., thanks to Inland Northwest Honor Flight.

“Last week Deer Park resident Ray Daves stood in front of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. He closed his eyes as sobering memories filled his mind. Each gold star on the memorial’s Freedom Wall represents 100 American lives lost during World War II. There are 4,000 gold stars.

For Daves, an 89-year-old survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, those stars are personal. “I thought about men who were my age but didn’t get to enjoy life,” he said. Men like his friend, George Maybee, who was killed on the battleship USS Arizona, which sank during the Pearl Harbor attack.

Daves had wondered if he’d ever get a chance to see the memorial.”

Story here: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/nov/12/a-touching-tour-of-duty/

I’ve interviewed Ray several times for various stories. His humility and his abiding love for his country never fails to move me. Though he hates this label, to me he is the  definition of a hero.