LUCEDALE -- Despite a two-hour delay of Honor Flight on Tuesday morning, A.C. Hillman had a good time and really enjoyed the appreciation bestowed on World War II veterans for their military service some 70 years ago. A Korean War veteran also was among the group.

"It was fine, I enjoyed it," said Hillman. "We had some trouble taking off. It cut us short on seeing some things, in walking and seeing some things." Hillman, 91, traveled in a wheelchair with his son, Al, as guardian.

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Tuesday's departure of the third Mississippi Gulf Coast Honor Flight was delayed when the airplane developed hydraulic problems, said Hillman. He said the flight departed Gulfport at 9 a.m. "on the dot" and arrived in the nation's capital about 11 a.m. "I looked at my watch," he said.

"We went to our World War II Memorial.  We walked and saw the Changing of the Guard, and visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, he said.

"The rest of the time we were on the bus. We drove around looking at things," he said. "We saw General Lee's home. We drove by the Lincoln Memorial and the Iwo Jima Memorial" and the Korean War Memorial.

He said they visited the Mississippi column of the World War II Memorial.

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Hillman said his son also had a good time. "He really enjoyed it. They made us feel real good. All kinds of people met us up there," said the father.

He said the apprecation and special treatment started on the airplane ride to the capital and concluded on with a grand Welcome Home celebration at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport.

"There was a crowd that met us at the airport. They really gave us a welcome home," said Hillman. "There was a crowd of people up there (in Washington, D.C.) that met us. They were telling us how much they appreciated us for what we did."

Pearl Harbor Survivor and Son Make Honor Flight

BEXLEY -- Alderson C. Hillman had expected to get up this morning about 2:30 a.m. to make the drive to Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, some 100 miles from his home in George County.

Hillman, 91, and his son, Al, joined 94 other World War II veterans and 63 more guardians for the third Mississippi Gulf Coast Honor Flight headed to Washington, D.C. The veterans will spend the day touring war memorials dedicated to their service and monuments honoring  those who fought in Korean and Vietnam wars. The veterans also view the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, where they watch a changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Four will participate in a wreath-laying.


Today's trip makes the third flight of veterans from Mississippi to the nation's capital. The flights began in May 2011 and are provided free to veterans through donations from business, public, and community donations.

"I feel good about it," said the senior Hillman. "I think it's quite an honor."

A.C. Hillman, center, speaks during a ceremony dedicating a portion of U.S. 98 in George County in Mr. Hillman's honor on Wednesday at George County Middle School in Lucedale. Hilllman served as a Marine during World War II. Also shown, from left, are Al Hillman and Wayne Brown, Southern District Transportation Commissioner (Harlan Kirgan/Press-Register/December 07, 2011)

Reporter Harlan Kirgan with The Mississippi Press said this trip for Mississippi Gulf Coast Honor Flight includes the largest number of veterans -- 95 -- to make the daylong tour, which has seen 169 veterans attend since they began in May 2011. Today was the first time veterans did not have a police escort from the Joppa Shrine Temple in Woolmarket to Biloxi-Gulfport International Airport.

Ninety veterans had arrived by 5:45 a.m. for the flight, according to Kim Foster, president of Honor Flight. Takeoff was delayed about 40 minutes because of a mechanical problem, according to the Press report. (Visit Mississsippi Press online for updated reports of the day's tour.)

Hillman said, with some humor, that his son, a resource officer with the George County School District, really wanted to go so the father is making the trip to let his son see all the war memorials. 

Al Hillman refutes that, saying his father and his WWII generation don't really think that they did anything all that special. "He's like a lot of WWII veterans. They are very humble about what they did," said his son. "They went and did a job."

"He'll tell you about the good things; he'll tell you the funny things. He won't tell you about the combat," said Al Hillman, who has talked with his father about the battle experiences.

A.C. Hillman said he does speak to history classes at Lucedale area schools. During a ceremony last year at George County Middle School, he was honored for military service that included being among the survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor 70 years ago on Dec. 07, 1941.

About five miles of U.S. 98 was renamed in his honor. "That's something to have a road named after you."

His family also is happy about the road.  "They are all proud they named it after me," said the 91-year-old.

A.G. Hillman, who also is a veteran and a former Lucedale police officer and investigator, said he's proud to serve as a guardian for his father on the Honor Flight. "Who wouldn't be? That's my dad."

The son said he was in tune with his father's military life. "I appreciate it. I appreciate what he did."

The father and son and their World War II companions are expected to return to Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport about 7:40 tonight. A crowd of 3,000 plus is expected to greet the veterans for a grand Welcome Home.

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