| Jim Tuorila's most memorable hot air | | | | of Victor Frankl and his famous writings |
| balloon flight comes with a small bit of | | | | following his own imprisonment in Nazi |
| irony attached to one of its more | | | | concentration camps. |
| prominent elements, altitude. The | | | | While doing his doctoral internship at |
| veteran balloon pilot and co-founder of | | | | the Topeka, Kansas, VA Medical Center, |
| Freedom Flight, Inc., a non-profit | | | | Tuorila and his wife volunteered to crew |
| organization that raises awareness as | | | | for a hot air balloon. When he went to |
| well as hot air balloons, had flown | | | | work in Minnesota, they saw a balloon in |
| hundreds of times. But when one of his | | | | flight one day and decided to volunteer |
| passengers requested that he take his | | | | again. |
| distinctive black balloon with the | | | | In 1987, he appeared on a local TV |
| easily recognizable POW/MIA logo to | | | | program to talk about the emotional |
| 5,000 feet, Tuorila acquiesced with | | | | difficulties families face when a loved |
| little enthusiasm. | | | | one returns after years of captivity. On |
| "I don't like to fly high," he said, | | | | the program he met the daughter of a |
| laughing. "I'm afraid of heights. I | | | | Navy pilot shot down and declared MIA. |
| can't lean over the side of a tall | | | | The daughter told him that the |
| building and feel comfortable. I | | | | government story of her father's |
| probably wouldn't be flying this balloon | | | | disappearance was very much at odds with |
| if it weren't for the issue." | | | | the story told by her father's wingman, |
| But the POW/MIA issue and the balloon | | | | who made a point of finding the pilot's |
| are inseparable. The striking black | | | | family to tell them the true story of |
| craft with its three 30-foot high POW | | | | the incident. |
| MIA logos is like no other and is easily | | | | By then, Tuorila and his wife were |
| spotted even in a sky like Albuquerque's | | | | crewing on a balloon flown by a Vietnam |
| in October, when mass ascensions at the | | | | veteran who had been encouraging him to |
| Albuquerque International Hot Air | | | | set up a non-profit with an eye toward |
| Balloon Fiesta might number more than a | | | | calling attention to the POW/MIA issue. |
| thousand colorful balloons in all shapes | | | | Then one day at work, his professional |
| and sizes gliding over the city. | | | | life and his weekend life coalesced. |
| Tuorila's three guests that day came | | | | "I told my co-therapist, 'You know, I've |
| with special significance. So he opened | | | | been flying and working with balloons |
| up the balloon's gas burners and the | | | | for five years now. What about a black |
| black craft rose into the air. His | | | | POW/MIA balloon? What kind of attention |
| passengers were women married to men | | | | would that get?' " |
| still listed as MIA from the Vietnam | | | | The co-therapist and co-founder of |
| War. He doesn't remember which one asked | | | | Freedom Flight, Vietnam veteran Bill |
| that he fly to 5,000 feet, but Tuorila | | | | Nohner, thought it was a great idea. A |
| has been a psychologist at a VA Medical | | | | year later, Freedom Flight, Inc., |
| Center in Minnesota for 20 years; he was | | | | obtained status as a non-profit |
| curious to see what would happen when | | | | educational organization. |
| they reached that altitude. Balloon | | | | In 1989, the first flight went up. Its |
| flights generally skim the earth, the | | | | first passenger was Henry Sha, a World |
| better to see and be seen. At 5,000 | | | | War II veteran and ex-POW who happened |
| feet, people on the ground are barely | | | | to stop his car when the balloon landed |
| able to see the balloon. He couldn't | | | | nearby. Invited onboard, he didn't |
| imagine why his passenger wanted to | | | | hesitate. |
| climb that high. | | | | Now in its sixteenth year, Freedom |
| He said that the moment they reached the | | | | Flight continues to attract attention, |
| requested altitude will stay with him | | | | sometimes through a little luck. At the |
| forever. | | | | 2005 Albuquerque International Balloon |
| "We get up there and she says this is | | | | Fiesta, Tuorila volunteered to give |
| the altitude the military said her | | | | rides to the media. A Voice of America |
| husband was at when he ejected from his | | | | camera crew making a documentary on the |
| plane over Vietnam," he said. "She | | | | balloon fiesta accepted his offer. When |
| wanted to see what the world looked like | | | | the crew members found out who they were |
| when he ejected. It touched me so deeply | | | | flying with, a new angle for the |
| that I'll never forget that flight with | | | | documentary emerged. |
| those women." | | | | "When they found out what we were doing |
| Freedom Flight, the POW/MIA Hot Air | | | | with the balloon, I think the program |
| Balloon Team, has flown in more than | | | | changed to include Freedom Flight and |
| seven hundred events since its first | | | | everything we were doing," Tuorila said. |
| flight in November 1989. The non-profit | | | | The change was in keeping with how |
| now has three balloons that attend 35 to | | | | Tuorila describes the past sixteen |
| 45 events a year, staffed entirely by | | | | years. "The reception we've gotten over |
| volunteers. The organization grew out of | | | | the years make the hair on the back of |
| Tuorila's vocation, psychology, and his | | | | my neck stand up," Tuorila said. "It's |
| avocation,hot air balloons. | | | | been incredible. I've had what I assume |
| In 1981, while attending graduate school | | | | to be a Vietnam veteran come up, put |
| at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, he | | | | $100 in my pocket and say, 'Keep it up,' |
| worked with a group of World War II | | | | then walk away. I've had family members |
| ex-POWs called the "Lost Battalion," all | | | | of the missing come up to me with tears |
| of them survivors of more than three | | | | in their eyes. I've had ex-POWs come up |
| years in Japanese prison camps. That | | | | and thank us. Everywhere we go, the |
| work inspired Tuorila to write his | | | | reception has been positive and |
| doctoral dissertation on the effects of | | | | overwhelming, and that keeps us flying. |
| captivity, especially regarding the work | | | | |