As he watched from his lawn chair, surrounded by friends in his Windsor front yard, Dick Sharp looked up to see the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Henry-1 helicopter circling over his house, in respect and acknowledgement of his military service.
World War II B-29 pilot Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Sharp and a dozen other veterans had gathered for a youth Civil Air Patrol color guard flag presentation, a proclamation from Town of Windsor Mayor Rosa Reynoza, a parade of World War II vehicles—and two birthday cakes, to mark the veteran’s 105th birthday.
The parade began at the Home Depot parking lot at 2:30pm last Saturday, March 7. The space was large enough to assemble the bright red Sonoma County Fire District trucks, vintage olive drab jeeps and a five-ton 6×6 military tractor truck among others. Less than 10 minutes later, the tidy Callahan Lane neighborhood was delighted to find a parade coming down their street, each vehicle sounding a siren or honking a salute to Sharp.
More than 80 years ago Sharp flew 32 B-29 missions in the Pacific Theater over Tokyo and China while based on Tinian Island, from which Paul Tibbets launched his infamous mission to Hiroshima. After the war he served in the Air Force reserves, instructing other pilots while he earned his dental degree from USC. He practiced dentistry into his mid-80s.
Still a big man, standing tall at over 6 feet though supported by a walker, he greeted his friends and guests, including Nancy Sandborn, Bob Tuttle, Karen Vogel and Jeannie Schulz, as the small group gathered in deck chairs to watch, applaud and eventually share the cake.
Carol Lawson is the current veteran coordinator for the Pacific Coast Air Museum, though this party was not a project of the PCAM. Also the lead for the PCAM Oral History Team, she has interviewed hundreds of veterans for the Library of Congress Veteran History Project over the years.
She’s been involved in several similar events for centenarian veterans, working with veteran families and supporters. “I believe these heroes deserve our attention and our thanks for the freedoms we enjoy today,” Lawson said.
