By David Rogers.  June 13, 2011. BLOWING ROCK -- A poignant video and slideshow commemorated the 18th and next-to -last "Honor Air" flight on Monday, June 13th, at the regular meeting of The Rotary Club of Blowing Rock.

Former club president Mike Kebelbeck went on the flight as a guardian of two honored veterans from Watauga County, including George Winebarger, who served in the U.S. Army, in the Europe Front.  Winebarger entered France after D-Day and the invasion of Normandy.  Kebelbeck also escorted U.S. Army veteran Gene Thomas, who served with the 101st Airborne.  During WWII, he jumped into Holland, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, as well as southern Germany and Austria.  Both Winebarger and Thomas attended Monday's luncheon held in their honor by the Blowing Rock Rotarians at Chetola Mountain Resort & Spa.

The Rotary Club of Boone Sunrise took the lead in organizing and funding the commemorative trips by Watauga County veterans on May 7, with support from The Rotary Club of Blowing Rock, the Military Officers Association, Watauga County American Legion, VFW, Marine Corps League, Deep Gap Fire Department, Deep Gap Ruritan Club, Meat Camp Fire Department, Ken Wiley, Boone Optimist Club and Watauga High School.

Over the 19 Honor Air flights since Rotary District 7670 (Western North Carolina), more than 1900 WWII veterans have been flown, expenses paid, to Washington, D.C., to visit the various war memorials and other sites.

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