About 75 veterans left Auburn on a bus for Washington, DC Friday as part of Operation Enduring Gratitude, including the first woman veteran from Cayuga County to make the trip.
91-year-old Anne Greer of Throop was a finalist for the Military Spouse of the Year award. Her husband, Richard served 30 years in the Marine Corps, including tours in Korea and Vietnam. Anne served in the Marines at Camp Lejeune and Parris Island in the 1950s.
Operation Enduring Gratitude is a program begun by the Knights of Columbus Council #207 in Auburn. This is the third time a group of veterans has been able to go to Washington to see the sites and memorials. The previous trips were in 2012 and 2017. Auburn City Clerk Chuck Mason was among those who attended the sendoff Friday morning from Memorial City Hall in Auburn.
Organizers say this may be the final Enduring Gratitude trip because there aren’t very many World War II or Korea veterans still living.
PHOTOS AND VIDEO COURTESY OF ED HELINSKI
Listen to my full Inside the FLX conversation with Auburn City Clerk Chuck Mason below.
