Local Army veteran to be honored at Stars and Stripes Honor Flight

GREENFIELD, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A local Army veteran was honored Tuesday at the Clement Manor assisted living in Greenfield ahead of his Stars and Stripes Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. on Saturday.

On Tuesday, a number of veterans helped celebrate Army veteran Stanley Steingold ahead of his all-expenses-paid trip this upcoming Saturday, which includes stops at the National Mall, Arlington National Cemetery, the Marine Corps Memorial, and the Air Force Memorial.

War was all Steingold knew growing up in London and having been merely seven years old when World War II began.

"I was there during the bombing," he said. "It's one of those things you see, and you hear, but you never forget...going to the shelters when the warnings went off and everything, that was normal."

During his early teen years, Steingold hopped from job to job until opportunity rose to move to the U.S. in 1954.

"But Uncle Sam got into the picture too, he knew I was coming, Bingo!" he exclaimed. "I was drafted four months later; they didn't waste any time, but I didn't mind."

Steingold was stationed in Germany, serving in the Army for four years as combat infantry medic after the Korean War ended and then in the 60s during the Vietnam War.

He later transferred to the Air Force headquarters, and 10 years after his honorary discharge, he went back to the Army Reserve.

"Everything I've done, and I'm sure the veterans here have had the same setup, (has been) a challenge to do it, and survive, and get it done."

Steingold said that's how he lives his life on a daily basis.

He said he looks forward to being formally honored on Saturday, touring Washington D.C. in a day. Stars and Stripes Honor Flight President Karyn Roelke said the program has flown more than 9,000 southeastern Wisconsin veterans since it was established in 2008.

"I'm thrilled that he signed up, we have a problem sometimes convincing our vets who didn't serve in combat that they deserve the flight," she told CBS 58 News.

The initiative is completely run by volunteers across the country, and Roelke said she hopes to see more veterans sign up soon.

"Any veteran who served active duty between 1941 and May of 1975 is eligible," she said.

As for Steingold, he said it's all about continuing to move forward.

"My body will tell you, 'You're blessed, you're still here, you're still doing things,' a lot of the stuff I did, I taught myself, I didn't go to school," he said.

If you are a veteran or know of someone who would benefit from this amazing trip, click here to learn more and/or sign up to participate.