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Delta flies last surviving D-Day heroes back to France
Twenty-eight surviving World War II veterans flew directly from Atlanta to France to honor those who never made it home, according to program organizers.
ATLANTA - A group of 27 aging World War II veterans traveled through Atlanta this week, boarding a direct flight to France to mark the 82nd anniversary of D-Day. The journey, organized to honor those who never returned, brought the former service members back to the historic beaches they helped liberate more than eight decades ago.
What we know:
A crowd filled the airport terminal as the Dutchtown High School Marching Band played for the veterans. Strangers stopped to applaud and thank the 27 men being wheeled toward their gate. Among them was 101-year-old Gainesville resident Alan Kinder, a retired U.S. Army corporal who served in Gen. George Patton's Third Army.
The backstory:
Kinder landed on Utah Beach in August 1944, just two months after the initial D-Day invasion. This week's trip marks only the second time he has returned to Normandy since the war concluded. During his previous visit, he discovered that the local population kept the memory of their liberation alive. French citizens who were young children when American troops arrived greeted the veterans with deep gratitude.
What they're saying:
Delta Air Lines and the Best Defense Foundation coordinated the flight to ensure these surviving service members could return to France. Donnie Edwards, the president and founder of the Best Defense Foundation, emphasized the urgency of the program. Edwards noted that because the future is never promised, the organization prioritizes making the trip to Normandy a reality each year. For Kinder, the journey is less about the public attention and more about honoring the soldiers who died during the conflict.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Best Defense Foundation, who explained the urgency of the flight program, as well as airport event details about Alan Kinder's military service history.