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 MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII - Children often dream about superheroes
or magical powers, but most realize these dreams aren't practical.
There are some who never lose their dreams and await the opportunity
to fulfill them. But there are also those who want to help make
others' dreams come true. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 3
grouped together from Feb. 15 to 19 to help a child with cancer
fulfill his dreams.
Carl Hornbeak-Hess (left), an 11-year-old from Mill Creek,
Wash., who has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic
leukemia, dreamed of becoming a World War II Army Air Corps
pilot whose aircraft is shot down and crash lands on a
deserted island.
Hornbeak-Hess was granted his wish
with the help of Marines, sailors and the Make-A-Wish
Foundation. His journey began, Feb. 15, when he flew into
Honolulu International Airport and was picked up in an
original World War II Jeep. In a convoy of WWII vehicles, he
was brought to the USS Missouri Battleship Memorial to
become a member of the Army Air Corps.
After arriving at the famed memorial, he received original
WWII-era gear and his new uniform, making his dream a
reality. As he marched away to change into his newly
received uniform, a group of Marines stayed close,
replicating the manner in which Marines guarded officers on
ship during WWII. A formation formed at the front of the
ship. Marines and sailors stood at attention as
Hornbeak-Hess' father pinned silver bars on his son,
signifying his promotion to first lieutenant in the Army Air
Corps. Hornbeak-Hess smiled as Marines and sailors walked up
to salute him and congratulate him on his promotion.
“It's great to see him smile and be happy,” said his
stepfather, James Sullivan. “This is something he wouldn't
be able to do otherwise, and that nobody else has done.”
After his promotion aboard the USS Missouri,
Hornbeak-Hess received a tour of Pearl Harbor, during which
he was involved in the evening colors ceremony and helped
carry the flag after it was brought down. Later in the
evening, he toured the USS Missouri Battleship Memorial and
stayed on it overnight alongside Marines and sailors – a
rare opportunity not available to the public.
The
next morning, Hornbeak-Hess reported to Dillingham Airfield,
where he climbed aboard an aircraft to receive a bird's-eye
view of Oahu. After the aircraft landed safely, Marines
blindfolded him and drove him and his stepfather in circles
near Puaena Point Beach Park in Haleiwa. Hornbeak-Hess had
no idea where he was when they dropped him off on the
"desolate island."
The boy and his stepfather created
a shelter from the parachute that deployed during their
crash landing on the island. Unaware of their location, the
duo surveyed the area and established a camp near the ocean.
All the while, Marines stayed in contact with Sullivan to
ensure Hornbeak-Hess was in the right place at the right
time. They stayed close by in case something went wrong or
if they needed immediate help, though the Marines would
shortly play completely different characters.
A few
hours passed, allowing Hornbeak-Hess to get a true feeling
that they were stranded with no help. Sullivan was told to
bring him to the water for a surprise, and as they stood
near the ocean water, Navy divers arose from the water
without warning. Hornbeak-Hess hadn't seen the divers until
they stood up out of the water. The divers were helping to
support their first lieutenant, who had recently crashed.
They caught fish for Hornbeak-Hess and the rest of the team
to eat, and then set out with their commander to search for
possible insurgents in the area.
Marines took on the
role of the insurgents and were attacked by Hornbeak-Hess
and his team of Navy divers. The boy tackled a Marine trying
to escape capture, and the Marines were tied to trees and
questioned. He warned them to stay away from his camp if
they wanted to live. By the time the capture was complete
and warnings were issued, the fire had been prepared. The
fish were gutted, washed and skewered on a wooden stick. The
Marines, no longer the enemy, came to join Hornbeak-Hess in
eating the freshly cooked fish.
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Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 3 and Hawaii-based sailors pose for a photo with Carl Hornbeak-Hess (center on tank) in front of the USS Missouri Battleship Memorial while fulfilling his dream in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Feb. 15,
2013. Hornbeak-Hess, an 11-year-old boy from Mill Creek, Wash., who has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, dreamed of becoming a World War II Army Air Corps pilot whose aircraft is shot down and crash lands on a deserted island. He was granted his wish from Feb. 15 to 19 with the help of Hawaii-based Marines, sailors and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
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“It's a dream for me
to be able to help make Carl's dream come true,” said Sgt.
Jonathan Feliz, an engineer maintenance floor chief with
CLB-3 and native of Lawrence, Mass. “This experience helps
me and the other Marines grow as people. This is the best
way I know to give back.”
After dining on the fish,
Hornbeak-Hess decided his dream was complete and called it a
night, thanking everyone for what they did to make his dream
come true.
“There are so many more people involved
than I thought,” Hornbeak-Hess said. “It's really good to
know that everyone wanted to help me with my dream.”
Article and Photos by USMC Lance Cpl. Nathan Knapke
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2013
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