"Honor Flight" (any personal experiences?)

[Boomer]

I, just this morning, read about an organization called "Honor Flight."

According to the article, the organization takes small groups of WWII veterans to DC to visit the National World War II Memorial, and to visit our other veterans' memorials and the Lincoln Memorial. The statistics quoted said that our WWII veterans are being lost at the rate of about 1200 per day.

(Please let me clarify that this post is not an attempt to raise money for a charity. I recognize that our personal choices of charities are just that and that we could fill the board with requests for donations. I hope you will understand that is not what I am doing here.)

The reason I am posting is to ask if there are any experiences that anyone on TOTV may have had with "Honor Flight."

Has anyone ever known someone who has gone?

Has anyone ever served as a volunteer to accompany the veterans? As I understand it, from the article, volunteers with medical backgrounds get first consideration. And volunteers go at their own expense. Those are both good things. Space is limited on the flights and buses.

I am not in TV at this point, but I wondered if the veterans' organizations there take part in supporting "Honor Flight."

I guess "Honor Flight" has been around for a while. But I just learned about it today. I am interested. We owe so much to our WWII veterans and we are losing them so fast.

Anything you can share would be welcome. Thanks.

Boomer

[Halle]

Hi Boomer,

My Father is a Veteran of the WWII,Korean and Vietnam Wars. He made the Honor Flight to DC back in April. It was a wonderful experience for him. I would love to be a volunteer for the flight, I am retired Navy and I know prior military do get special consideration. You are correct the volunteers pay their own expenses. It is a very worthy organization to donate to and all of the cost for the WWII veterans are paid through donations.

[Boomer]

Thanks Halle,

I talked to somebody in my real life today (somebody I could actually see. :) ) -- anyway, he told me that he has a friend who went along as a volunteer and said it was a wonderful experience to be able to be a part of it. He said that the group on that trip was pretty quiet on the way there, but on the way home, they were talking and laughing and having the best time with everybody. What a privilege to be there with them.

My dad was a WWII vet. (Navy) But he was unable to travel in the last few years. I wish we could have taken him there. He liked to read about the memorial. I am glad your dad got to see it.

Boomer (-- guess you know why that's my name. I am one of those millions of post-war projects)