George Gebes, Batavia resident and WWII veteran who served in the South Pacific aboard the LST 813, the Eleanor, is welcomed home from the Honor Flight by his daughter Barbara Kalina and their family Wednesday evening at Midway Airport in Chicago. |Michael R. Schmidt~For Sun-Times Media

Henry Kalina, 2, and his father Paul wait for their grandpa/dad, Batavia resident and WWII veteran Dick Kalina, to return home from the Honor Flight Wednesday evening in Chicago. |Michael R. Schmidt~For Sun-Times Media

Dick Kalina, Batavia resident and WWII veteran who served on the island of Saipan, when he was only 17, is greeted home from the Honor Flight by his family including his grandson Henry,2, Wednesday evening at Midway Airport in Chicago. | Michael R. Schmidt~For Sun-Times Media

Batavia resident and WWII veteran Dick Kalina carries his grandson Henry Kalina, 2,as he is welcomed home from the Honor Flight Wednesday evening at Midway Airport in Chicago. Ninety-seven veterans flew to Washington, D.C. for the day to visit the WWII Me

Miss Illinois Hannah Smith, of Huntley, greets Batavia WWII veteran George Gebes as he arrives at Midway Airport in Chicago Wednesday evening. |Michael R. Schmidt~For Sun-Times Media

The family of George Gebes and Dick Kalina, WWII veterans and Father and Son-In-Law, wait for their arrival home from the Honor Flight at Midway Airport in Chicago Wednesday evening. (pictured from front row left are, Alana Hoover, 5, Tristan Kaufman, 5 and Barbara Kalina) |Michael R. Schmidt~For Sun-Times Media

An active duty sailor leads the WWII veterans off the Honor Flight at Midway Airport Wednesday evening. |Michael R. Schmidt~For Sun-Times Media

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George Gebes of Batavia volunteered for the U.S. Navy in 1943. This is a photo from boot camp. | Photo courtesy~Barb Kalina

USS LST-742 on 13 October 1950 at Wolmi-do island, Inchon Harbor, loading supplies for the upcoming Wonsan invasion.