Five organizations are banding together to help WWII veterans visit the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The Gary Sinise Foundation, the National World War II Museum, American Airlines, Envoy, and Brookshire’s Food &Pharmacy.
The National World War II Museum is working with the Gary Sinise Foundation’s Soaring Valor Program to give 24 veterans from Texas and Louisiana a chance to visit the museum in New Orleans.
TheNational World War II Museum opened its doors in 2006, on June 6, the 56th anniversary of D-Day. It houses a large collection of WW2 exhibits, including a number of planes and vehicles. There is even a Supermarine Spitfire suspended from the ceiling as part of one exhibit, and the museum also houses a Douglas C-47 Skytrain.
The foundation will film the veterans giving firsthand accounts of their experiences in the war for future generations to learn from.
They started their trip in Tyler, Texas. Eight WWII veterans received a hero’s welcome as they arrived at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. The American Airlines flight then stopped in Shreveport, Louisiana to pick up the other sixteen veterans.
Gary Sinise met the group at the Shreveport airport. Sinise is currently starring on television in the show Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. He is best known for his role in the film Forrest Gump, Ark Latex homepage reported.
Sinise and Jim Palmersheim, the Senior Manager of the Veterans and Military Programs for American Airlines, joined the veterans for the Soaring Valor flight to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.