|
Clackamas Community College and Glenmoore Gracious Retirement Living community hosted a book signing and reception for World War II veteran Robert Vrilakas on Saturday, February 28. A Glenmoore resident and WWII P-38 fighter pilot, Vrilakas signed copies of his book "Look, Mom - I Can Fly!"
The book follows Vrilakas from his small town in Northern California, where he was in awe of airplanes flying overhead, to his own flight training and 51 combat missions against the German Luftwaffe and Italian Air Force in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations in WWII. He spent 32 years in the armed forces, retiring as a command pilot with over 9000 hours flying time and multiple decorations for his service.
Vrilakas retired in 1973 and opened a specialized machine shop in Portland, which his sons took over in 1980. He is a resident of Happy Valley.
The reception included remarks from retired U.S. Army Major General Dan Hitchcock, Rep. Shemia Fagan, and a reading from "Look, Mom - I Can Fly!" by retired General Curt Loop.
Vrilakas donated proceeds from the books sales to the Foundation's Military Families Scholarship Endowment (MFSE).
The MFSE provides funding for tuition at Clackamas Community College and benefits veterans of all eras, their spouses and dependent children of active-duty personnel, reserves, Oregon National Guard (ONG), and survivors of those servicemen and women who have died since 2003.
The book signing was a standing room only affair. Donations for the MFSE as a result of this event have been received from as far away as Saratoga Springs, New York.
Click here if you would like to make a donation to the MFSE. Rember to select the designation "Military Family Scholarship Endowment".
| 
