Never forget: First Transit honors 95-year-old WWII veteran on Veterans Day
(Photo by Zachary Meseck)
NORWICH – A World War II veteran was recognized on Wednesday after mentioning to staff that he felt he had been forgotten.
The ceremony took place at 9 a.m. on Wednesday at the Chenango Christian Church in the Town of Norwich. City of Norwich Mayor Shawn Sastri spoke at the event, thanking veterans for their service.
Veterans who work for First Transit were also honored in the ceremony.
According to First-Transit Manager Mason Sutton, the ceremony’s main goal was to show James Bullock, the 95-year-old World War II AM3 Flight Mechanic, along with the other veterans at First-Transit, that they hadn’t been forgotten.
Sutton said Bullock served in the WWII Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1945.
Sutton gave Bullock an engraved oar that reads, “Blessed are the aircraft mechanics the dirty, tired, and bloody for they are the ones which air travel depends on. Thank you for your service.”
“My driver Michael Hepfner came to me and told me that one of our passengers mentioned that he felt forgotten as a World War II veteran,” said Sutton. “He asked me to do something, and we decided that it would be great to do something for all of our veterans as well.”
“So we started to plan this ceremony, invited the mayor to join, and decked out our busses and a church.”
Mason said it’s important to recognize the efforts of the people who have fought to help keep the United States free. He said while the coronavirus did have an impact on the event, social distance guidelines were in place, hand sanitizer and masks were also provided.
“You need to find ways to work around the virus, and find ways to make sure that we’re still honoring the people who put everything on the line for us,” he added. “It’s great to honor the people that saved our freedoms and fought for us.”
“We should honor veterans, police officers, and firefighters for the hours they have put into protecting us.”
Sutton said with multiple family members in the military honoring veterans is something that continues to be a priority even in his personal life. He said that’s a big part of why it was so important for him to be able to honor his co-workers and community members who have served as well.
He added that First-Transit wrote a letter to each of the staff members thanking them for their service. Sutton said thank you to everyone who has served, and to First-Transit for allowing them to host the ceremony.
“To any veteran reading this, don’t feel forgotten, everyone that has served deserves to be honored and thanked for what they’ve done for us,” he said.
The ceremony took place at 9 a.m. on Wednesday at the Chenango Christian Church in the Town of Norwich. City of Norwich Mayor Shawn Sastri spoke at the event, thanking veterans for their service.
Veterans who work for First Transit were also honored in the ceremony.
According to First-Transit Manager Mason Sutton, the ceremony’s main goal was to show James Bullock, the 95-year-old World War II AM3 Flight Mechanic, along with the other veterans at First-Transit, that they hadn’t been forgotten.
Sutton said Bullock served in the WWII Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1945.
Sutton gave Bullock an engraved oar that reads, “Blessed are the aircraft mechanics the dirty, tired, and bloody for they are the ones which air travel depends on. Thank you for your service.”
“My driver Michael Hepfner came to me and told me that one of our passengers mentioned that he felt forgotten as a World War II veteran,” said Sutton. “He asked me to do something, and we decided that it would be great to do something for all of our veterans as well.”
“So we started to plan this ceremony, invited the mayor to join, and decked out our busses and a church.”
Mason said it’s important to recognize the efforts of the people who have fought to help keep the United States free. He said while the coronavirus did have an impact on the event, social distance guidelines were in place, hand sanitizer and masks were also provided.
“You need to find ways to work around the virus, and find ways to make sure that we’re still honoring the people who put everything on the line for us,” he added. “It’s great to honor the people that saved our freedoms and fought for us.”
“We should honor veterans, police officers, and firefighters for the hours they have put into protecting us.”
Sutton said with multiple family members in the military honoring veterans is something that continues to be a priority even in his personal life. He said that’s a big part of why it was so important for him to be able to honor his co-workers and community members who have served as well.
He added that First-Transit wrote a letter to each of the staff members thanking them for their service. Sutton said thank you to everyone who has served, and to First-Transit for allowing them to host the ceremony.
“To any veteran reading this, don’t feel forgotten, everyone that has served deserves to be honored and thanked for what they’ve done for us,” he said.
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