Paso Robles locals are remembering the 81st anniversary of D-Day in a big way at the Estrella Warbirds Museum.
Local veterans boarded an honor flight in remembrance of the historic day.
Laurie Zanoli-Smoot has planned the event on D-Day for the last two years, allowing veterans to enjoy a flight over the Central Coast, then have a warm homecoming.
The tradition was started as a way to give veterans who could not take a proper honor flight to Washington, D.C. a way to still receive recognition.
The second annual D-Day legacy flight took off from Paso Robles on Friday. Nineteen veterans were honored with a flight onboard Betsy's Biscuit Bomber, a C-47 plane that was used during World War II.
“This is something I am doing to honor the veterans because it was Sherman's passion," said organizer Laurie Zanoli-Smoot. "It makes me feel closer to Sherman, being able to bring the veterans out here and taking them up and having them enjoy something.”
The Paso Robles honor flight was originally started by Zanoli-Smoot’s late husband Sherman, who was a Navy veteran who flew Betsy.
“When Sherman was still alive, Sherman and I flew that very airplane several times together," said veteran Rodney Dykhouse.
“He was actually called by Honor Flight... and asked if he would fly some of our veterans that had not been able to do their tours to D.C. for their tour of honor," Zanoli-Smoot said.
That was back in 2022. Since then, Zanoli-Smoot has been carrying on his legacy and making veterans feel appreciated.
Organizers say they hope to continue the tradition next year and beyond.
