ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill. — During World War II, Robert Schultz saw things he'll never forget.
The 99-year-old veteran and Belleville native served on the USS California, which sunk during the Pearl Harbor bombing. It was repaired and sent back into battle, and he later survived an attack that killed many soldiers on board. They masked the smell with Aqua Velva cologne, and to this day he can't stand the smell of it.
Schultz ended up fighting in every major sea battle in the Pacific Ocean. By the end of the war, he had circumnavigated the entire globe.
On Labor Day, Schultz had another unforgettable experience as he took to the Cahokia Heights skies in a Dream Flight. It was part of the Operation September Freedom tour, which is honoring veterans by giving them the flight of their dreams in a WWII-era biplane.
Schultz signed the plane afterward and said the flight was "wonderful."
“One little drawback -- It was not long enough,” he joked.
The nonprofit Dream Flights does this for veterans every year, but in 2021 it's focusing specifically on WWII veterans. Only 100,000 are estimated to be alive in 2021, and the youngest of them will be 95 this year, according to the organization.
"Every day, we’re losing the opportunity to celebrate them," the Dream Flights website states. "So in 2021, we’re dedicating our entire Dream Flight Tour to WWII veterans. Our mission is to honor as many as possible, thanking them for fighting for freedom."
Veterans United Home Loans has partnered with Dream Flights to add a fully restored Boeing Stearman biplane to its fleet to meet the demand. It's the same type of plane that was used to train WWII military aviators.
"I think it’s absolutely fantastic," Schultz said. "I personally don’t feel like I really deserve it, but I enjoyed it and it’s a great honor for me to have. I do it in the name of a lot of other guys who never had the chance to do it. I’m very honored to have this experience."
More than 1,000 WWII veterans are expected to participate in Dream Flights throughout August and September as part of the tour. All with their own unique story, just like Schultz.
“It’s a wonderful life. It really is. All 99 and a half years of it," he said.