"My involvement began in June of 2007. My Father called and told me how he was starting Honor Flight Michigan after seeing a story on CBS Sunday morning on Honor Flight, taking WWII vets to see their memorial. Unfortunately he passed away in '08 and never got to see that over 1300 vets got to take the trip. As his son, I am working with The Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial in his honor, making sure future generations never forget the sacrifices made to protect our freedom."
The Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial began as Honor Flight Michigan in 2007, providing one day all-expense paid trips for WWII veterans to the National WWII Memorial.
After 33 flights taking 1400 veterans, the waiting list was exhausted and the mission was accomplished in 2010. Filled with emotion and the thought that "we can do more," the idea was conceived that it was time to bring the memorial to Michigan.
The Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial will serve as a place to gather, remember, and inspire. It is a memorial designed with the desire to engage the community and educate future generations on the vision, values, and heroic efforts of the Greatest Generation.
David Cameron from West Bloomfield, Michigan, became a pioneer in the Honor Flight Network after watching a special on TV with his wife, Carole, entitled "In Their Honor." Cameron was so moved that he spent the last two years of his life taking veterans to the National Memorial in Washington, D.C. Dave organized a volunteer board who raised money for the flights, creating the most ambitious of the national program's efforts.
Dave's son Michael continued the tradition, serving as a board member of The Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial, working to raise funds for the state's official tribute to Michigan's contributions to the war effort until his death in 2020.