Pilot Pays Tribute to WWII Veteran and Iwo Jima Survivor on Recent Flight

It’s not every day you get on a flight with a WWII veteran and it’s even more rare to be on a flight with a WWII veteran who survived one of the most pivotal battles like Iwo Jima.

Kaitsy Baker was recently on a flight with her 100-year-old grandfather, Gordy, who landed at Iwo Jima on his 20th birthday in 1945.

Before takeoff, the pilot paid tribute to Gordy by calling him the closest thing to royalty in America while also acknowledging his service and asking all passengers to give him a round of applause.