In November, the New York Times published an article with the headline, “Mission: Escorting Veterans Down Memory Lane”. That title actually sounds less interesting than the story behind it. The subhead captures it better: “Across the Nation, Honor Flights Carry Old Warriors to See the Monuments that Celebrate Them”. A modest project that started in Springfield, OH, in 2004 has grown into a non-profit organization that has flown more than 250,000 veterans of WWII and the Korean and Vietnam wars to Washington, DC. For most, it’s the first time they’ve been able to see the memorials dedicated to their service and to their compatriots who didn’t come home from those wars. During one action-packed and often emotional day, they also visit Arlington National Cemetery and a flight museum before heading home. There are now 120 hubs across the country operating completely on donations and staffed by volunteers. Each vet is accompanied by a guardian throughout the trip and one of our classmates has had that honor. Sara Stubbins, who lives in Missouri, accompanied a Vietnam veteran on an Honor Flight of the Ozarks. She said that it was moving and rewarding to see veterans returning with tears in their eyes, especially Vietnam vets who had been badly treated when they returned home many years ago.
George Henry’s wife, Barb (an honorary member of our class for her work on our reunions), told us that her father, a WWII Navy veteran, took a Michigan Talons Out Honor Flight, escorted by an Army Vietnam veteran who is a close friend of the family. For the Michigan program, there are currently 355 veterans on their waiting list for a flight. If you would like to donate or to volunteer for this program in your own area, visit the Honor Flight Network website.
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