Let's work up a little sympathy for Hugh Ames, 81, a veteran paratrooper in Kailua. After 33 years in the U.S. Air Force and Army, he has a heart problem. He walks with a cane. Last May, Hugh attended the 82nd Airborne Division All American Week convention. The other veteran paratroopers marched proudly in review, but Hugh couldn't keep up. Two sergeants major had to push him in a wheelchair at the end of the parade.

Even his parachuting career ended in a near disaster. The last time he jumped was in 1958 into a pineapple field near Wheeler Air Force Base. "I forgot to put the belly strap through the reserve chute. The reserve chute came up and hit me in the chin. I had a sore jaw for a week."

You can see that Hugh isn't exactly your image of a dashing parachute jumper.

His biggest disappointment is lack of respect. He dreams of a Hawai'i State Airborne Day to honor parachute jumpers. He can picture heroic veteran parachute jumpers standing at attention in Palm Circle at Fort Shafter as the band plays on Hawai'i State Airborne Day. But he can't get an Airborne Day celebration started.

In 2001, he called on his old friend Bill Paty. Paty jumped into France on D-Day. He rang up Gov. Ben Cayetano, who proclaimed State Airborne Day.

It wasn't a smashing success. Hugh could find only three other former paratroopers including Paty. Over their objections, he included the pilot of a parachute troop carrier. "What if he never jumped in his life?" Hugh argued. "He got us there, didn't he?" That made five.

Then State Airborne Day sort of petered out. Two years ago Hugh tried again. The national association gave him the names of 26 former paratroopers in Hawai'i. Hugh wrote 26 letters.

The postman was unable to deliver seven letters, 11 people made no reply, and out of those who answered, only Ron Iwata said he'd give State Airborne Day a try. "One out of 26 isn't so good," Hugh admitted. "So I backed off."

Hugh has tried to organize a state airborne chapter, for which you need a minimum of 16 members.

This year a state legislator asked the governor to proclaim State Airborne Day. Gov. Linda Lingle signed the proclamation last week. State Airborne Day is all set for Wednesday, on National Airborne Day. But Hugh doesn't want to celebrate by himself.

"Before I make my last jump, I'd like to see this thing get off," he said.

Here's your chance to become a heroic veteran paratrooper. Anybody who has graduated from an accredited parachute or glider school is eligible to form a local chapter and celebrate with Hugh. His number is 261-3467.

Reach Bob Krauss at 525-8073.