Chance discovery turns into treasured friendship for 2 Utah Honor Flight vets

KSL.com
Mike Anderson

SALT LAKE CITY — Over 70 Utah veterans are in Washington, D.C., for the 50th Utah Honor Flight.

When a unique group of individuals comes together like this, it means that some special stories and friendships develop while visiting historic sites.

“The first Black general?” Jim Hayes asked Merrill Wells, referring to a general they knew while serving.

“Yes,” Wells responded.

“In the United States Army,” Hayes said.

The two veterans were at one of the many historical sites in Washington and talked about how they knew the same people while serving in the Vietnam War, like General Benjamin O. Davis.