Honor Flight honors Vietnam Veteran's dying wish

Honor Flight veterans get emotional at Vietnam memorial
By CINDY UKEN
Billings Gazette
Posted: Saturday, June 16, 2012

Walter P. Calahan
Vietnam Veteran Tom Dagroo getting help from Matthew McDonnell to find Dagroo's uncle's name placement on the Vietnam Memorial.

WASHINGTON — Tom Dagroo is dying.

The 66-year-old Vietnam veteran has COPD and is hanging on to life with the help of half a lung.

“I ain’t got long,” he said. “I was a little scared of coming because of it.”

How long? He has no idea.

“That answer belongs with the big guy upstairs,” Dagroo said.

Because of his terminal illness, Dagroo was given a seat among a group of World War II veterans making the inaugural journey with Big Sky Honor Flight. Though there was a waiting list to get aboard the flight, priority was given to terminally ill veterans from any war or conflict.

Dagroo was among the 96 World War II veterans who traveled from Billings to Washington, D.C., for a two-day tour of the National World War II Memorial and other Washington monuments, including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, Iwo Jima, the Lincoln Memorial and Korean Memorial.

“It’s a great honor they let me come,” he said fighting back tears. “It’s the biggest thrill.”

Before he dies Dagroo wanted to see — and experience — the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It was one of the items on his bucket list. He wanted to see the names of his fallen comrades.
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