BAKERSFIELD, CA--World War II and Korean veterans are packing their bags for the next Honor Flight Kern County. It's wheels up Tuesday morning. Taft resident Vern Longtin joined the Navy in 1944 when he was just 17. He told 17 News at his daughter’s house in Bakersfield on Monday it was all he ever wanted to do at that point in his life.
"I wanted to go in 1941 but I wasn't old enough," Longtin said.
Three years later, he did becoming a plane captain. It was his job to check over planes before giving the aircraft to its pilots. Longtin was assigned to the escort carrier USS Suwannee after it had been damaged in one of the first Kamikaze or suicide attacks by the Japanese in World War II.
"It was really badly damaged, lot of guys killed," Longtin said.
He was preparing for the invasion of the Japanese mainland when the atomic bomb was dropped.
"I know there is a lot of controversy about that but I tell ya, as far everybody I knew out there we were a happy bunch," Longtin said.
Though he was glad the Japanese surrendered Longtin went to Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped and saw images that have stayed with him all these years.
"Enormously new weapon but it was kind of ugly,” Longtin said “It just annihilated everything it hit."
Dennis Heilscher said his stepfather was rather tight lipped about his military service. He will be Longtin's guardian during this week's honor flight to Washington D.C.
Longtin has battled prostate cancer and his stepson is grateful there is still time to share the experience of seeing the monuments together.
"I think if you have a veteran of that generation you need to do all means possible to go,” Heilscher said.
If you are interested in going on a future honor flight give them a call at 661-544-8387.
"I wanted to go in 1941 but I wasn't old enough," Longtin said.
Three years later, he did becoming a plane captain. It was his job to check over planes before giving the aircraft to its pilots. Longtin was assigned to the escort carrier USS Suwannee after it had been damaged in one of the first Kamikaze or suicide attacks by the Japanese in World War II.
"It was really badly damaged, lot of guys killed," Longtin said.
He was preparing for the invasion of the Japanese mainland when the atomic bomb was dropped.
"I know there is a lot of controversy about that but I tell ya, as far everybody I knew out there we were a happy bunch," Longtin said.
Though he was glad the Japanese surrendered Longtin went to Nagasaki after the bomb was dropped and saw images that have stayed with him all these years.
"Enormously new weapon but it was kind of ugly,” Longtin said “It just annihilated everything it hit."
Dennis Heilscher said his stepfather was rather tight lipped about his military service. He will be Longtin's guardian during this week's honor flight to Washington D.C.
Longtin has battled prostate cancer and his stepson is grateful there is still time to share the experience of seeing the monuments together.
"I think if you have a veteran of that generation you need to do all means possible to go,” Heilscher said.
If you are interested in going on a future honor flight give them a call at 661-544-8387.