09-20-2013, 03:23 AM
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[size 4]September 16, 2013
Kourtney Kruger WW II veteran and POW
[/size][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]Strawberry Reservoir, UT
Hand in Hand Outdoors LLC had the honor and privilege of spending the day fishing with 8 WWII veterans aboard their especially designed handicapped accessible boat "Freedoms Dream".
The group of veterans representing all four of America’s armed forces;, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Army are residents of the veteran’s home in Salt Lake City, UT. They were invited aboard to thank them for their valiant service to our country.
The aging veterans, all part of the group called [/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]Americas Greatest Generation [/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]are in their 80’s and 90’s. Four were wheelchair bound and the others required walkers.
One of the group, Sgt. Kourtney Kruger was the 500[/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 1][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 1]th [/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]individual aboard Hand in Hands big fishing boat. Sgt Kruger was in the Philippines when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and was taken prisoner when the Japanese invaded the Philippines shortly after. Hundreds of captured Americans perished during the invasion and the subsequent Bataan Death March. Sgt Kruger was transported to Japan and held prisoner in a POW camp until the end of the war in 1945. He is truly, an American Hero who has suffered greatly for his country.
Captain Steve Henline, skipper of Freedoms Dream and co-founder of Hand in Hand Outdoors remarked "[/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]Achieving our goal of having 500 individuals aboard the boat was especially poignant today with this remarkable group of WWII vets. As a nation we can never repay our men and women in uniform and our vets for what they have done, but we try, if only in a small way, to tell them thank you and that they are greatly appreciated for their valor, service and sacrifices"
[/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]He continued[/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]," It takes a whole community to make an event like this possible. Hand in Hands officers and board of directors, volunteers, as well as the donors who work tirelessly to insure we have the means to show our gratitude to those individuals, not only veterans but others with disabilities for what they do. To be involved with such a noble cause is truly blessing from God."
[/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]Addition information about Hand in Hand Outdoors can be found at their web page: http://handinhandoutdoors.org
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[size 4]September 16, 2013
Kourtney Kruger WW II veteran and POW
[/size][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]Strawberry Reservoir, UT
Hand in Hand Outdoors LLC had the honor and privilege of spending the day fishing with 8 WWII veterans aboard their especially designed handicapped accessible boat "Freedoms Dream".
The group of veterans representing all four of America’s armed forces;, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Army are residents of the veteran’s home in Salt Lake City, UT. They were invited aboard to thank them for their valiant service to our country.
The aging veterans, all part of the group called [/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]Americas Greatest Generation [/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]are in their 80’s and 90’s. Four were wheelchair bound and the others required walkers.
One of the group, Sgt. Kourtney Kruger was the 500[/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 1][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 1]th [/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]individual aboard Hand in Hands big fishing boat. Sgt Kruger was in the Philippines when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and was taken prisoner when the Japanese invaded the Philippines shortly after. Hundreds of captured Americans perished during the invasion and the subsequent Bataan Death March. Sgt Kruger was transported to Japan and held prisoner in a POW camp until the end of the war in 1945. He is truly, an American Hero who has suffered greatly for his country.
Captain Steve Henline, skipper of Freedoms Dream and co-founder of Hand in Hand Outdoors remarked "[/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]Achieving our goal of having 500 individuals aboard the boat was especially poignant today with this remarkable group of WWII vets. As a nation we can never repay our men and women in uniform and our vets for what they have done, but we try, if only in a small way, to tell them thank you and that they are greatly appreciated for their valor, service and sacrifices"
[/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]He continued[/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]," It takes a whole community to make an event like this possible. Hand in Hands officers and board of directors, volunteers, as well as the donors who work tirelessly to insure we have the means to show our gratitude to those individuals, not only veterans but others with disabilities for what they do. To be involved with such a noble cause is truly blessing from God."
[/size][/font][/size][/font][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4][font "Bookman Old Style,Bookman Old Style"][size 4]Addition information about Hand in Hand Outdoors can be found at their web page: http://handinhandoutdoors.org
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