D-Day Vet Final Flight
(left to right to row) Dianne Carter, Ruthmarie Dlug and Amanda "Makenzie" Evans, (Center lower) Don Carter before take off.
(Photo by: EMILY BONSANT)
BONNERS FERRY — Don Carter, 96, World War II veteran and Bonners Ferry resident, took his last flight at Northern Air, Inc. airport on April 15.
During World War II, Carter served in the Navy for three years and worked as a radio operator on the Landing Ship USS LST 989. He was involved in every major Allied land invasion during the war, including the D-Day.
At 20 years old, in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor, Carter enlisted in the Navy in December 1941. He was also on the board for Northern Air for 18 years and has been an avid pilot. He passed this love for aviation on to his wife Louise and his children. Due to health issues and maturing in years, Carter has not been in a plane for at least 10 years, making this flight even more memorable.
He is a generous community member, a proud Shriner of more than 60 years, and an even prouder family man, officials at Auburn Crest Hospice said.
Carter is a patient at Auburn Crest Hospice, which champions the right for patients to enjoy the highest quality of life possible, Ruthmarie Dlug, a Hospice nurse at Auburn Crest said.
Northern Air and Auburn Crest Hospice co-sponsored the flight.
Dlug said that they had another patient go on a flight in the past and many others have gone fishing, hunting and even skydiving. Whatever the patient is passionate about, Auburn Crest Hospice officials said they try to get their patients to live out that passion.
Dlug’s son, Garrick, was the pilot for the flight.
Members of North Bench Fire Department provided lift assistance for Carter to safely enter and exit the plane. Carter teased the pilot saying he is not used to sitting in the passenger seat.
As Carter was seated in the plane preparing to approach the runway he was beaming with excitement.
“He wished he could do this all the time,” Dianne Carter, his daughter said while waving at him from the tarmac.
Dianne said that he had been looking forward to this flight and was so happy to get out on such a beautiful day.
Carter will be 97 on May 10.