Robert D. Londeree, a resident of Edgemere, Dallas’ premier senior living community, is heading to Washington, D.C., on Honor Flight DFW, a special trip organized to recognize the service of military veterans. A retired Park Cities dentist, Dr. Londeree was one of the first oral surgeons in Dallas, having received his dental training while serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. Nominated by family members, Londeree, age 91, was selected to make Honor Flight DFW’s 26th trip to view national war memorials. Joining a group of 40 other veterans, the flight departs from Dallas Love Field on Friday, Sept. 18, and returns the following evening, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015.
“I feel very privileged to be going on this flight,” said Dr. Londeree. “When I first found out about it, it took me aback. I had never heard of Honor Flight DFW before and didn’t know such things were possible. I’ve never seen the Korean War monument, although it was something I had a strong desire to do. This is a dream come true, and I am so grateful to Honor Flight DFW.”
Honor Flight DFW pays tribute to veterans for the service and sacrifices these individuals made during periods of military conflict. Providing veterans with an all-expenses-paid excursion to Washington, D.C., Honor Flight takes veterans to visit the National WWII Memorial in addition to the U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam Veterans, Lincoln, Korean War Veterans and U.S. Navy Memorials. Highlights of the trip include a military bugler playing “Taps” for the vets, a Heroes Banquet on Friday evening and the Guard ritual at Arlington Cemetery.
“My military service had a profound effect on my life, as it did for others in the Armed Forces. Although it didn’t occur to me at the time, my training as an Army dentist during WWII helped determine the course of my life professionally and personally. Once my military service was completed, the knowledge, skills and experience I gained on the battlefield helped me establish a successful dental practice after I returned home,” Dr. Londeree added.
Like many, Dr. Londeree’s war experience was harsh. Trained as a dentist, he had no combat experience during WWII. That changed when he was assigned to a MASH unit in Korea. As a First Lieutenant with map reading skills training, he was selected to lead a team of six MASH unit personnel into the battlefield to locate and help transport wounded soldiers. These missions were dangerous, and several MASH team members were killed or injured as they worked to rescue U.S. and North Korean soldiers. Because of his training as a dentist, Londeree was called on to perform medical and dental procedures in the field and at the MASH unit until he was discharged in 1954.
“A number of veterans from WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War live in our community,” said John Falldine, managing director of Edgemere. “Each one of these veterans has a story that deserves recognition. As young adults, these men and women left loved ones behind for months at a time to serve our country during an extremely difficult period in our nation’s history. This makes each one of them a hero. We are honored that Bob has been selected to participate in Honor Flight DFW.”
Many men and women, like Dr. Londeree, put their lives on hold to serve their country. The mission of Honor Flight DFW is to let veterans know that their sacrifice is remembered and appreciated. With most WWII veterans in their 90s, Honor Flight volunteers work tirelessly to arrange several trips each year to give as many vets as possible the opportunity to see their national military memorials. To date, Honor Flight DFW has transported more than 1,000 North Texans to Washington, D.C., to view the WWII Memorial which serves as a “thank you for your service.”