WWII vets' Hero Flight fails to get off ground

MAPLETON — Their bags were packed, and nearly 130 World War II veterans were ready to go on an expenses-paid sentimental journey to Washington, D.C., to see the war memorial erected in their honor.

No plane was ready for them, however, and, as Hero Flight director Paul McSweeny announced Friday afternoon, there was never money to fund the trip.

"We simply did not make enough money," McSweeny said, tearfully. "As director, I take full blame for the failure of this mission."

The Hero Flight Committee was unaware of the organization's financial problems, McSweeny said. As director, he had sole access to the organization's bank account.

Hero Flight raised only $27,000 of the $225,000 it needed to fund the veterans' trip to see the war memorial, which opened in 2004.

The Hero Flight Committee issued a vague statement Thursday announcing the trip's postponement because of airline scheduling issues. Turns out, unbeknownst to the committee, McSweeny didn't even schedule the flight until Tuesday.

"We as a committee were misled," said Mike Mecham, a paramedic who planned to keep track of the veterans' health during the trip. "We fully intended on leaving today. My bags were packed — we have granola bars in grab bags."

McSweeny disappeared Wednesday, the night before the veterans were supposed to depart. He said he was contemplating ending his life and "leaving everybody else to clean up the mess." He stayed in his car for 48 hours before returning to tell the Hero Flight Committee what had happened.

McSweeny, who now admits he should have postponed the trip months ago, said he couldn't bear the idea of telling the veterans he had failed them.

"When they get there to that monument it's life-changing for them," he said, tears flowing freely. "Now they can't go, and it's because of something I did. I couldn't face it."

That's why, even though he was $200,000 short, the Hero Flight director couldn't give up.

When donations fell short, McSweeny started talking to people about loans.

"I was just hoping for miracles," he said. "I thought maybe I could pull it off at the last minute with a miracle."