A wish come true: Washington native becomes World War II downed pilot
Pearl Harbor attacks survivor, Alfred Benjamin Kame’eiamoku Rodrigues, US Navy (retired) (center) presents Explorer certificates to Carl Hess, Make-A-Wish recipient (right), his sister Kayelynn Hess (left) at the USS Arizona Memorial museum, near Ford Island, Hawaii, Feb. 19, 2013. The certificates were presented for their participation in the Junior Ranger Day and their commitment to the Junior Ranger Motto, Explore, Learn, and Protect. Carl is fighting acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a fast-growing cancer of the white blood cells, and wished to be a downed World War II pilot. During his visit he received a rare opportunity to spend the night aboard the USS Missouri, fly in a bi-plane, and tour various historical WWII sites. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jerome S. Tayborn)