Wisconsin veterans receive free flight in WWII plane
By Madison Moore
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WAUKESHA, Wisconsin (WISN) — Eight Wisconsin veterans had the opportunity of a lifetime Tuesday; to fly high over Waukesha County.
Dream Flights, a national nonprofit organization returned to the Waukesha County Airport this year to gift veterans a 20-minute ride in a WWII open-air biplane.
“Our mission is to give back to those who gave,” says Dream Flights founder and pilot Darryl Fisher. “And we do that by giving veterans who live in nursing homes, assisted living centers, and retirement centers free flights in these World War II biplanes.”
Dream Flights has partnered with Capri Communities for the past decade to identify interested veterans living in their senior facilities across Southeast Wisconsin.
“Very excited, looking forward for what a month now, since we found out about this great and glorious ride,” Army National Guard Veteran Ken Wildt said.
At the age of 87, Wildt was the first of eight veterans to go up in the plane Tuesday morning.
Wildt was activated in the Army National Guard in 1961 serving stateside at Fort Lewis, Washington during the Berlin Wall crisis.
Wildt’s wife of 63 years says flying in a WWII plane has been a dream of his for a while.
“It’s a wonderful thing and he loves his country,” Nancy Wildt said. “We come from a lot of military both of our families and so it means a lot to be honored.”
The other participating veterans included five Korean War vets and one Vietnam vet.
“Literally right before your eyes, you can see a transformation,” Fisher said. “It takes them back energy-wise like they’re in their 30s…they think those days are behind them. We open their minds. We come along and say, no, no, you’re not done yet.”
Direct Supply is the corporate sponsor of the Dream Flights in Waukesha County.
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