Dear Editor: I traveled to Sitka for a very special reason: to meet and interview 100-year-old Berlin Airlift veteran Mike Perensovich.
I grew up in West Berlin during the Cold War. For me, the Berlin Airlift has never been just a chapter in a history book. The men and women who kept West Berlin supplied during the Soviet blockade of 1948-1949 helped protect my city's freedom and its democratic future.
Today, through my nonprofit, Wings of Freedom, I travel across the United States and abroad to interview Airlift veterans and others who experienced those extraordinary events.
But there's something especially meaningful about sitting across from someone like Mike, hearing his memories, and being able to look him in the eye and say,
"Thank you. What you did mattered. It mattered to my city, and it matters to me."
My visit was made possible through the wonderful hospitality of Mike's family, especially Joanna, who handled much of the organizing. Her husband Terry, Gary, who welcomed me into his home, and Randy have all been incredibly kind. The staff at the Sitka Pioneers Home have been equally gracious and accommodating.
Along the way, I've discovered a beautiful town and some genuinely wonderful people.
As Veterans Day approaches, my hope is that we remember that our veterans are more than names on memorials or faces in old photographs. They are living witnesses to history, with experiences worth hearing and preserving.
If you have a veteran in your life, I'd like to encourage you to sit down and ask about their experiences. Then listen. You never know what you might discover.
Thank you, Mike. And thank you, Sitka.
Bibi LeBlanc,
Wings of Freedom – Preserving the Legacy of the Berlin Airlift
