The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

Over the past 15 years, the Honor Flight Network has transported more than 200,000 of America’s veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials dedicated to honoring those who have served and sacrificed for our country. The veterans often refer to the trip as the honor of a lifetime, something they will never forget. 

Guardians accompany every Honor Flight veteran. The guardians take care of personal needs, frequently pushing the vet’s wheelchair. Most guardians are family members or close friends; however, sometimes, the guardian is a volunteer who only recently met the veteran. John Stafford of Peru, NY and Frank Duffy of Atlanta, Georgia, are two such guardians. Neither man realized that their Honor Flight journey would be a life-changing experience for themselves and the veteran they escorted. 

When Critical Care E.M.T. John Stafford arrived at CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh in the summer of 2015 he couldn’t have conceived that someone he had never met before would ask him to be an Honor Flight guardian. Stafford recalls, “I was getting an EKG set up Rudy Chapola. I hadn’t known him for ten minutes when his wife Rita asked me if I would be his escort on the next Honor Flight. She said someone had volunteered on two previous occasions but had to cancel because of work schedules.” Over the next three hours in the ER, John Stafford listened to many of the 93-year old World War II vet’s stories and got to hear even more stories while visiting Rudy in his hospital room. 

On July 15, 2015, John Stafford traveled to Rudy and Rita’s home in Champlain, where motorcycles arrived to escort the highly decorated veteran to the send-off ceremonies at U.S. Oval in Plattsburgh.  Upon arrival in Washington D.C., they visited the  World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Arlington National Cemetery. Stafford recalled, “I’ll never forget the look on Rudy’s face as he stared out the window when the bus got to Arlington Cemetery.” Meeting Senator Robert Dole at the WWII Memorial was another highlight. After a long, thrilling day, Stafford and Chapola said good-night knowing that they were friends and would see each other again.

The friendship included frequent visits to Rudy and Rita’s home, taking them out to eat, trips to the Albany VA hospital, and traveling to the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino near Massena. Rudy loved those Akwesasne slot machines, so much so that he got preferred customer treatment. 

Stafford said, “Rudy and Rita became my surrogate grandparents. He loved to make people laugh. I could listen to him for hours. He trusted me and we formed a friendship. We shared humor and a love for God and country. I was truly blessed.” 

Rudy Chapola passed away at age 95 on July 9, 2016. John Stafford gave the eulogy at Rudy’s funeral and is still Rita’s close friend.  

Speaking to Frank Duffy of Atlanta, Georgia feels like a replay of a conversation with John Stafford. Duffy is a three-time volunteer Honor Flight guardian. The second veteran was Schuyler Falls, NY native Francis Turner. Like Rudy Chapola, Turner was a highly decorated World War II veteran. 

Duffy recalls departing from Atlanta with Francis Turner. “Francis was something else. He talked me under the table. By 10:30 in the morning. I knew everything about his family and Upstate New York.” Duffy mentioned a special happening at Dulles Airport as the veterans were waiting for their journey home. The U.S.O. asked the guardians to step aside to give the veterans time to be alone together. Duffy said, “They talked and talked with each other. They acted like 20 year-olds. They shared a wonderful day.” 

Like John Stafford, Duffy’s relationship with the veteran continued. Duffy said, “Francis became my surrogate grandfather. We adopted each other. I took him to high school football games, Braves games, the Peach Bowl, and the World War II Museum in New Orleans. He came to our family events. The last time I saw him was in the hospital, “You’ve done enough, soldier, I said.” He died about a week after that, on April 27, 2019, at age 96.

Francis Brown Turner was laid to rest with full military honors in the Schuyler Falls Cemetery on October 8, 2019. A few weeks ago, on October 9, 2020, Frank Duffy visited Francis one more time, only this time at his gravesite. Duffy returned home to Atlanta, assured that his Honor Flight friend was resting in peace.