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Dawn remained hours away as 103 World War II veterans boarded a bus in Plainville, Kan., heading toward the Salina airport. From there, a plane would take them to Washington, D.C., courtesy of the Honor Flight Network.
Honor Flights began through an effort to bring World War II veterans to the WWII Memorial, constructed in their honor in 2004. Earl Morse, a retired Air Force Captain, began the program by flying veterans to the Memorial himself.
The program has grown since that first flight, and participants have included many VFW members from across the country. As for the Kansas participants, their trip in September was more than a pilgrimage to their monument—it was a statewide tribute.
VFW Post 8871, Plainville, Kan., spearheaded the trip. Because Honor Flights come at no cost to the veterans, the Post raised donations for many of the participants.
“I’ve been involved with many activities in our community, but this was, by far, the most rewarding experience,” said Pat Hageman, member of Post 8871. “To see the smiles on our veterans’ faces was very humbling for me.”
In addition to high school student escorts, Kansas Congressman Jerry Moran and former Senator Bob Dole joined these heroes as they visited the Memorial and many other D.C. landmarks.
Upon arriving home, they were greeted by more than 300 thankful friends and supporters. Flags waved and marching bands played while countless hugs awaited members of the “Greatest Generation” once back on solid ground.
The Honor Flight program books flights frequently, providing the opportunity to as many WWII veterans as possible. Current statistics indicate that the United States loses 1,000 veterans of WWII each day.
“We owe so much to this generation. It’s extremely important we give them their day in the sun,” concluded Hageman.
If you are a WWII veteran, or know someone who is interested in participating in an Honor Flight, visit http://www.honorflight.org/ for further information. | 
