Flag City Honor Flight, the Findlay-based hub of the National Honor Flight Network, takes off on its third flight of the 2023 flight season on Tuesday, bringing 86 veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the war memorials built in their honor.
There will be one World War II veteran making the trip, 13 from the Korean War era, and 72 Vietnam-era veterans. One veteran served across multiple conflicts, including Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, the Gulf War and the War on Terrorism. He’ll be accompanied by his son, who is also a veteran. The father and son served in the same unit for a short time as Seabees.
Three sets of brothers will be on the trip, seven Bronze Star recipients and five Purple Heart recipients. While many will be accompanied by family member guardians, many other veterans will be paired with guardians they don’t know until flight day, community guardians who volunteer their time to escort the veterans to the memorials built in their honor.
Veterans and guardians can apply at www.flagcityhonorflight.org.
It is the third of four flights in 2023, the first time Flag City Honor Flight has offered four flights in a single flight season. The organization increased the number of annual flights to decrease the amount of time veterans wait to go on a flight. There are currently over 550 area veterans on the waiting list to make the trip.
Some veterans and guardians will receive an escort from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Wood County Sheriff’s Office, Lucas County Sheriff’s Office, and Legion Riders on their way to Toledo Express Airport. Following breakfast at the Grand Aire hangar, the group departs on a charter flight at 8 a.m., arriving around 9:15 a.m. at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
After the bus trip from the airport to Washington, D.C., the veterans and guardians travel to the Marine Corps War Memorial, World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Military Women’s Memorial. They enjoy special treatment, including a reserved time and priority viewing locations to observe the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
The flight returns to Toledo at the Grand Aire hangar at approximately 9:30 p.m., where there is a welcome home ceremony with family members, friends, and members of the community, followed by “Mail Call.”
Public Encouraged to Welcome Veterans Home
Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend the homecoming celebration.
The Grand Aire hangar is located at 11777 W. Airport Service Road in Swanton. The hangar opens at 7 p.m. for supporters to gather.
Flag City Honor Flight’s fourth and final flight of the year is scheduled for Nov. 7. Veterans on all flights pay absolutely nothing to take the trip with Flag City Honor Flight.
