Jim Sharp, in his 101 years, has seen a lot. And he hasn’t been known to turn down an experience or shrink in the face of danger.
So, when the World War II veteran, Battle of the Bulge soldier and guard at the Nuremberg Trials, had an opportunity to fly in a classic biplane to celebrate his birthday, open-cockpit style, he didn’t flinch.
“Let’s do it!” Sharp said.
Alan Zeitvogel, Commander of American Legion’s District 11, is a friend of Sharp and helped organize the memorable flight. He worked with Dream Flights, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans residing in assisted living homes and senior facilities realize their dream of flying in restored planes from World War II, regardless of age. Since its founding in 2011, Dream Flights has provided about 8,000 U.S. veterans with free flights and lasting memories.
On Sept. 27, Sharp took to the sky, rising more than 1,000 feet above Manhattan, Kansas, the “Little Apple,” and Kansas State University, where Sharp graduated from college with help from the GI Bill.
“Dream Flights is about honoring heroes like Jim Sharp—the men and women whose courage defended our nation and safeguarded the freedoms we cherish,” Dream Flights Founder Darryl Fisher told EIN Presswire. “A Dream Flight is our way of saying thank you to our senior military veteran heroes.”
At the impressionable age of 19, Sharp joined the Army, graduating from basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. He was sent to France to fight in the European Theater. Soon after, he found himself in the thick of one of the most famous campaigns of World War II, the Battle of the Bulge with the 1st Infantry Division. American troops sustained heavy losses as they painstakingly marched through Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, securing a decisive victory and turning the tide for Allied Forces in the winter of 1945.
Following the war, Sharp had a front-row seat watching Nazis put to trial for notorious war crimes. He served as a sergeant of the guard at the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, Germany. The Army veteran provided courtroom security, and guarded prison cells and workout rooms.
Sharp came home from Europe with several accolades, including a Bronze Star, three battle stars, and a Purple Heart.
The World War II veteran has penned two books about his wartime experience, “Diary of a Combat Infantryman,” and “Sgt. of the Guard at Nuremberg.”
Sharp also created the Kansas Chapter of the Battle of the Bulge to honor Sunflower State veterans, serving as the chapter’s first president.
Sharp’s Dream Flight lasted about 15 minutes. On the ground, veterans from multiple generations came together to support Sharp. In a show of gratitude, veterans from the American Legion, the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 17 in Manhattan, Kansas, the local VFW, and Pearce-Keller Post No. 17, all stood and saluted as Sharp took off and came back for his landing.
It was Sharp, though, who had the biggest kick from the special flight.
“It was wonderful! I’m ready to go again!” he told Paul Bodenhamer, the plane’s crew chief, with a wide grin.
Sharp was given an autographed Dream Flights baseball camp and asked if he wouldn’t mind signing his name on the aircraft’s tail, a gesture designed for WWII veterans. According to Dream Flights, since 2021, more than 1,000 WWII veterans have taken flights and signed their names.
As members of the American Legion and VFW shook his hand and thanked him for all he did during the war, the humble Sharp simply replied, “Thanks for all you guys do.”
Sharp hopes to take another Dream Flight, a year from now, to celebrate his 102nd birthday.
“You’re never too old for an adventure,” said Fisher. “I told Jim that we’ll be back, same time next year, to take him flying.”
Sharp wouldn’t miss it for the world.
“I’ll be here too,” he said.
Dream Flights are made possible from sponsors like Sports Clips, American Airlines, Allied Pilots Association, American Healthcare Association/National Center for Assisted Living, Veterans United Home Loans, and Vital Life Foundation.
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