Franklin County World War II veteran approaches his most emotional mission at 103

A World War II veteran in Franklin County is prepared for a special Blue Ridge Honor Flight from Asheville to Washington, D.C.

Joe Balogh is among a diminishing group of brave men and women who served in that war.

This mission will be an emotional one for veteran Joseph Baloah.

At 103 years of age, Balogh is still active and on his feet.

As a young man in Detroit, he worked with the Ford Motor Company - at a time when they building B24 aircrafts for the war effort.

He was willing to serve in the war, but not on the ground.

"I was more interested in being a pilot than being an officer," said Balogh.

Balogh went through cadet training in the Army Air Corp. In 1944, he was shipped off to southern Burma.

Balogh's B25 plane took on a load of bombs and equipment with danger ahead as they approached the Himalayas.

"The severe hump and the bad weather situations was where we lost most of our airplanes," Balogh said.

He and his crew were about to drop artillery down to a U.S. ground force. It was at that point when Japanese Zeros started firing.

"And a Zero got us from behind and shot our fighters down," Balogh said. "We did bail out, but got home safe. We avoided the Japanese."

A separate mission close to the mountains of China, turned tragic.

"We couldn't jump out of the airplane," Balogh said. "We were down too low. So we had to crash into rice paddy fields and we lost our co-pilot."

Balogh had put in 68 air missions, which was supposed to be the limit. But he was still needed.

"No pilots can come home," he said. "Attrition rates on pilots was terrible."

Balogh is anxious to meet his remaining brothers in arms when leaves on the Blue Ridge Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.

"It will be very interesting to see where they served and what they did," Balogh said. "They were lucky to stay alive. We were a group. We are a brotherhood who just worked together."

Balogh went far beyond his duty in serving his country. In all, he flew 106 missions in World War II.