Honor Flights Help Tell A Great Story of Brotherhood
Oklahoman veteran of three wars gets to take Honor Flight
By Bryan Painter
WASHINGTON — Three wars, one special friendship and 58 years of marriage.
Although retired U.S. Army Col. John R. Burks is legally blind, the 91-year-old saw all three clearly in Washington.
Burks, who served in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, was among 82 veterans taking Wednesday’s Oklahoma Honor Flights trip to the nation’s capital to visit the country’s war memorials.
In World War II, Burks flew 40 missions as a ball turret gunner in a B-24 bomber. Then in Korea, he was a communications officer and artillery battery commander. In Vietnam, Burks served as a deputy corps artillery commander.