Kansas' 101-year-old WWII vet flies again
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Sharp before takeoff. Photo: Courtesy of Dream Flights
At 101, Kansas native Jim Sharp climbed into a World War II–era biplane and lifted off over the Flint Hills — a few minutes of flight that felt like stepping back into history.
Why it matters: Sharp is one of just 352 surviving WWII veterans in Kansas, according to Dream Flights, a nonprofit that gives free rides to senior veterans in restored aircraft.
- The group has already honored about 50 veterans across Kansas this year.
Flashback: Sharp fought at the Battle of the Bulge, was wounded in Germany and later guarded Nazi officials during the Nuremberg trials.
- When longtime friend and American Legion Commander Alan Zeitvogel asked if he wanted to take the flight, Sharp didn't hesitate. "Let's do it!" he told him.
- After landing, he grinned and said, "And we did it."
The big picture: Dream Flights founder Darryl Fisher piloted the 1942 Stearman biplane, built in Wichita when the city was dubbed the "Air Capital of the World." The restored aircraft, part of a seven-plane fleet in WWII, took Sharp on a 15-minute ride that looped near Kansas State University's football stadium last month.
- "It was amazing," Fisher told Axios. "Jim was so engaging. He loved it. The VFW was out here with their motorcycles, saluting as we taxied out and came back in."
Between the lines: Before takeoff, Sharp adjusted his aviator helmet and learned the simple hand signals the crew uses with older veterans: a thumbs up for all good, a thumbs down for time to return.
- "I don't think I'll be doing that," Sharp joked.
By the numbers: Dream Flights has taken nearly 8,000 veterans on flights nationwide since 2011, including more than a dozen Kansans over 100 years old.
- Flights are volunteer-run and funded by sponsors such as Sport Clips, American Airlines, and Veterans United.
What's next: Sharp and Fisher made a promise before parting ways: the same time, same place next year.