One of Honor Flight’s last World War II veterans served in one of the war’s least known theaters


By Michael d’Oliveira | Editor

Richard Goon went from supporting the Flying Tigers in China to fighting Tiger tanks in Europe.

Goon, 96, a Deerfield Beach resident who was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, served in World War II as a Chinese language interpreter for the Flying Tigers – the group of American pilots who fought against the Japanese in the China-Burma-India Theater.

World War II veteran Richard Goon and his Honor Flight guardian, Emma Sonsky. [Honor Flight South Florida]

“War is hell. War is killing,” said Goon, whose duties in China involved finding information about the position of Japanese forces so the pilots could “bomb the hell out of them.” In Europe, he fought against German Tiger tanks in an anti-tank unit.

Asked if he ever met any of the Flying Tigers pilots, Goon responded, “You don’t talk to the big shots.”

The memories of that war came back to Goon during his April 9 trip to Washington, D.C., one of 73 veterans to take part in Honor Flight South Florida during its 25th mission.

Multiple times a year, Honor Flight takes a group of World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam war veterans to Washington, D.C. as a way to honor their service. It’s a day that includes flying in and out of Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, a visit to the World War II, Korea and Vietnam memorials, and a huge, cheering crowd waiting to welcome the veterans home.

Each veteran is escorted and assisted by a guardian.

Goon’s guardian was Emma Sonsky, 19, who grew up volunteering for Honor Flight and finally got the chance to be guardian. “I love listening to his stories,” said Sonsky. “He’s a hero and people like him should be honored and respected.”

Goon couldn’t help but think about those who were never thanked or appreciated for their service.

“One day, they’re here. The next day, they’re gone . . . So many of my friends are buried over there. Buried, without any fanfare.”

He also remembers the victims: the Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, the mentally disabled and others deemed “undesirable” by the Nazis – murdered in the concentration camps; and the survivors who were just skin and bones when he entered Dachau.

“That blows my mind, what people can do to one another.”

World War II veteran Richard Goon during his service in the war. [Courtesy]

After the war, Goon returned home, met his wife and moved to Deerfield Beach in the late 1940s where he owned and operated a Chinese restaurant before retiring.

“For the first five years, I broke even,” said Goon. “The last five years, I packed them in.”

Unfortunately, Honor Flight can no longer say the same about the number of World War II veterans it escorts to D.C. on each trip.

When Honor Flight South Florida began in 2013, every veteran on every flight was one who served in World War II. Last week, only three made the trip; a fourth was supposed to join them, but health problems kept him from traveling.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, out of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, only 240,329 were alive in 2021.

And as more and more World War II veterans, who are now in their 90s, pass away or become too frail to fly, it won’t be long until Honor Flight sees the last of such servicemen and women.

It’s already happened on one flight, October of last year, and only two World War II veterans are scheduled to fly later this year.

“They were all World War II veterans up until 2017,” said Honor Flight volunteer Beverly Engler. “They are few and far between now.”

The photos below were taken during the April 9 Honor Flight, courtesy of Honor Flight South Florida.

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