Stoughton Air Force Veteran Honoring D-Day Heroes At Normandy

STOUGHTON, MA — Air Force Veteran and Stoughton resident Kristine Balchunas was one of 11 Massachusetts female veterans selected for a trip to Normandy, France as part of the 74th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.

Balchunas served 13 years as an Air Force cook before moving to personnel. During her time, she served two deployment tours, one included time in Kuwait and Iraq and the other was in the United Arab Emirates.

Boston based company Vantage Deluxe World Travel organized the trip, which is taking the 11 all female veterans on a 13-day river cruise throughout France. There are several World War II related sites on the trip including Vernon, which was the site of the bridge bombing prior to D-Day. The trip ends with the memorial services in Normandy.

Balchunas said visiting Normandy is going to be an emotional day because her husband's grandfather was there. Her husband also served. Balchunas said they met at Otis Air National Guard base in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts.

She said, "It's going to be an emotional day that I don't really know how to put into words."

Balchunas also said she's fortunate to have served when she did rather than during World War II. Balchunas said, "I guess we're just the lucky ones who didn't have to serve in that time and got to come home. Others didn't."

Besides the D-Day memorial services, Vantage said its annual trip through the Vantage Heroes Program is supposed to be a vacation for Balchunas and the other Massachusetts female veterans. This is the eleventh annual trip for the Vantage Heroes Program.

"We are so honored to support the heroes who inspire and protect us," said Patricia Lewis, co-chair of the Vantage Heroes Program. "We are delighted to provide this powerful group of all-female military members with this special opportunity and offer them a break from their everyday cares and the chance to visit Normandy, an important and pivotal location during World War II on the 74th anniversary of D-Day.”

Balchunas said she's excited to enjoy some of these vacation activities, which she said is all included by Vantage free of charge. Among the activities, include tours of Paris, biking, and numerous scheduled events. According to Balchunas, she's just "going with the flow" with whatever Vantage planned for them.

Balchunas plans to bring her mother with her on the trip. She said when she told her she won a free trip to Paris, Balchunas' mother was ecstatic.

According to Balchunas, her mom was the reason she joined the military in the first place. If Balchunas wanted to go to college, her mother said she had to join the military. Balchunas and her mom will leave for France on May 30. They come back the weekend of June 9.