97-Year-Old WWII Veteran Gets To Fly T-6 Plane For First Time In 80 Years

97-Year-Old WWII Veteran Gets To Fly T-6 Plane For First Time In 80 Years

A 97-year-old World War II veteran from San Antonio, Texas, got to fly a WWII vintage T-6 plane for the first time in nearly 80 years.

The plane that Jerry Auerbach got to fly is one that he's very familiar with.

It's one of the planes he trained in during World War II after enlisting in the Army Air Corps at just 18 years old. He ended up flying around 20 combat missions over Japan before joining the Air Force, where he got his pilot license and made more than 200 cargo trips in Germany.

Flying has always had a special place in Auerbach's heart and his recent flight at Stinson Airport is a moment he will never forget.

“You know it’s funny how his short-term memory is bad but he can still tell you everything about every airplane he has ever flown,” his son, Tony, told KSAT. “He knows his airplanes backward and forward. I’m sure it will bring back memories. He’ll feel right at home.”

The incredible opportunity was all thanks to the San Antonio Commemorative Air Force, a non-profit that serves veterans and teaches people about WWII military aviation history.

”Every year we lose more and more. These may be some of our last chances to really say thank you to the greatest generation that really helped us live our lives the way we’re living our lives. So proud of them,” Darren Bond, the leader of the Commemorative Air Force, told KSAT.

Hear the full story in the video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tziRyuqagyU
Ashley McCann

Growing up, Ashley always had a passion for writing. After receiving her Bachelor's in Journalism from Stony Brook University, she dove right into the professional world of content. When she isn't writing, she loves to read, travel, and explore the outdoors with her husband and two dogs.

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