Second WWII Honor Tour leaves Thursday

The last time John Dragoni visited Washington, D.C., more than 20 years ago, he was working for a machinery manufacturer.

Now, he's going back to the nation's capitol for a personal matter.

"I want to see the World War II memorial. I only have one eye. I can't drive myself and can't get anyone to go with me," the Cape Girardeau man said.

On Thursday, Dragoni joins 29 other World War II veterans, each chosen for the second Honor Tour, a free trip to Washington, D.C., arranged by Rob Callahan and Tucker Davis, who both work for First Midwest Bank in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Callahan got the idea last year, after learning an Ohio man was doing something similar. He convinced Davis to help. Talking Callahan's wife, Donna, into joining the effort was a cinch.

"I've got a great big heart for these World War II veterans and so does my wife," Callahan said. The couple delivers meals to Poplar Bluff veterans and simply spends time with them.

In June, the first Honor Tour collected veterans from Poplar Bluff, Dexter, Mo., Jackson and Cape Girardeau.

Reuben Fritzler of Cape Gir-ar-deau went with his wife, Emalyn. While serving in the 836th Engineer Aviation Battalion, he saw New Guinea, the Philippines and Korean islands. His wife paid for her trip. She served stateside, in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps. She hopes to gain full veteran status if the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps Equity Act (HR 3423), now in the Veterans Affairs Committee, passes. In 1948, the Fritzlers traveled to Washington, D.C., representing Kimball, Neb., with the Jaycees.

In June, they were delighted with the early morning Honor Tour send-off in Jackson, seeing the band and color guard and people clapping and waving.

Their group made a whirlwind tour of the Capitol, seeing memorials for Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Korea and Vietnam wars. Wheelchairs loaned to the group helped veterans see more without tiring. The men wore brown baseball caps with gold stitching reading "World War II Veteran" on the front and "Honor Tour" on the back. They traveled, at times, with police escorts and, in many places, from the airports to restaurants and sometimes just looking at a memorial, people applauded or thanked them or did both. At the Smithsonian Institution, they peered at a restored Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress bomber that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. And, at the National World War II memorial, Emalyn Fritzler watched her husband grow quiet. They each felt a little breathless seeing the rows of gold stars -- 4,048, each representing 100 lost soldiers.

"It was overwhelming," said Reuben Fritzler, 85. "In a lot of places I had to keep from shedding some tears."

His wife got to see her picture at the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

"I would sure go again, if I had the opportunity and had the chance to go," said Emalyn Fritzler, 81.

Davis said escorting the first Honor Tour changed his life.

"It was like going on a trip with 30 of your dads," he said. His own father, George Davis, never mentioned earning a Purple Heart while serving in Italy. He died in 1993. Tucker Davis wore a button with a photo of his father and carried the U.S. flag used for the casket.

And he held his breath as the bus pulled up to the World War II memorial. He watched their faces. He saw apprehension, pride, outright fear and those who looked "like it felt good to be home" even though they'd never been there, he said.

The bus doors opened and he tried to get out ahead of them, to take photos as they disembarked, their faces filling with awe.

"Imagine it's just you and your dad and for him to look at this thing, it's massive," Davis said. "He would be so proud that someone stopped to think long enough about what they did."

Dragoni, 82, said he's heard the memorial is beautiful and that each state is recognized. A U.S. Army Air Corps navigator, he served in India, China, Burma and in the Pacific. Dragoni recalls waiting three days for rescue from a jungle after his plane was shot down by a Japanese warship. The Ipswich, Mass., native talks about an emergency landing on Iwo Jima, before the island was secure, because his plane ran out of fuel. The close calls make a visit to the memorial for his war more important.

"I saw newsreels when Bob Dole first dedicated it," he said. "I can't wait to see it."

Rob Callahan said taking World War II veterans to visit the nation's Capitol and their memorial is "the most emotional, rewarding thing I have ever been involved with or done in my life," he said. A third trip is already being planned and a waiting list is growing for a fourth. He managed to get free bus service to the St. Louis airport and Southwest Airlines to donate 30 round-trip flights for the veterans. But he still needs to raise $13,000 for food, hotel rooms and the motor coach used to travel around Washington, D.C., for future trips.

Callahan said he feels a sense of urgency, because the people he wants to honor are dying -- from an estimated peak of 1,100 when President George W. Bush first dedicated the memorial in 2004 to close to 800 a day this year. Callahan wants as many World War II veterans as possible -- men and women -- to experience the gratitude "for all the freedoms that we have today," he said.

He hopes to see a crowd in Jackson at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, when the second group departs.

"Bring your tissues," he said.

To make donations, send checks to the Stoddard County Development Foundation, P.O. Box 625, Bloomfield, Mo., 63825. Write "Honor Tour" on the memo line of the check. To learn more about the National World War II memorial, visit www.wwiimemorial.com.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127