Midlakes students accompany WWII veterans on Soaring Valor trip

The memory of his homeland torn apart from years of war — split in two as the result of World War II — are indelible for Heinz Mohr, a 91-year-old World War II veteran now living in Phelps.

Mohr grew up in Germany, moved to the United States while still in school, then returned to his homeland as one of the deadliest conflicts in history came to a close to serve as an investigator and interpreter with the U.S. Air Force.

Those long-ago memories began to resurface as he embarked on a journey to New Orleans with his great-granddaughter, Halle Burgess, and 43 of her classmates at Midlakes High School for a trip to the National World War II Museum.

“I am amazed that this is even taking place,” Mohr said about the trip, adding that what he did in the military was simply his duty and “nothing special.” “I tried to keep the peace between the two factions as the war just ended.”