JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
It's not every day the average person gets the opportunity to fly in a historic World War II P-51 Mustang; however, the Warrior Aviation is making that happen for wounded veterans.
During the April 8 Air Expo 2011 Family Day events, Bill Davenport, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Georgetown, S.C. took flight with pilot Dale "Snort" Snodgrass in the historic aircraft for a 45-minute formation flight.
"It's been really great coming out here to catch a ride in a P-51; not many people get that opportunity," said Mr. Davenport.
The next day, the Warrior Flight Team, the demonstration team for the Warrior Aviation organization, performed with the P-51 alongside an L-39 trainer jet. The Warrior Flight Team travels to air shows across the country, however; when they are not performing, the team is doing their real work - providing a variety of services to wounded veterans.
"They provide educational programs to help us learn a new career or transition our military skills to the civilian side," said Mr. Davenport.
The organization has partnered with a number of organizations including Delaware Tech. and Aviation Jewelry Designs in order to get the word out. Warrior Aviation aims "to bring rewarding opportunities to those who have served their country and sacrificed tremendously in the process," according to their website.
The group is reaching out to veterans across the United States in order to provide them with the help and support they need as they integrate back into society. Some of the services include enrollment, training, mentoring, job placement assistance and recruitment and can be found on the website.
The flight team is just another great way to spread the word while creating exciting and fun opportunities for wounded veterans.
"We just want to get the word out and build our support for all our veterans coming home," said Robert Payne, one of the founders of the Warrior Aviation project.
For more information on Warrior Aviation visit their website at www.warrioraviation.org.