Honor Flights Resume Later This Month

On Tuesday, August 26, the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight hub from Springfield will take their first flight since folding in the now defunct Central Illinois Honor Flight into their territory and blending their two waiting lists, based upon the date of applications submitted by Veterans.

Now serving central and southern Illinois, Flight #28 will have 80 veterans aboard; 32 from World War II, 43 from the Korean War era, and five from the Vietnam War era. On this no-cost, daylong tour to Washington, DC to visit and reflect at their national memorials, each Veteran will be accompanied by a volunteer Guardian escort who pay their own way and are responsible for the comfort, logistics, mobility and safety of their Veteran for the day. Aboard the chartered 737 aircraft will be Veterans from the US Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy branches, as well as from the Merchant Marines and Army Air Corps from World War II.

After landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport in DC, they will be transported for the day on three tour buses (code name Red, White, and Blue) with an itinerary including stops at the World War II Memorial, Korean Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, National Air and Space Museum, Air Force and Marine Corps Memorials, a Pentagon drive-by, and conclusion at Arlington National Cemetery including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and Changing of the Guard. They will also have the opportunity to visit the Lincoln Memorial, as well as see the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, DC World War I Memorial, and much more.

Veterans on this flight come from the Illinois communities of Altamont, Argenta, Bonnie, Carmi, Centralia, Cerro Gordo, Charleston, Collinsville, Danville, Decatur, DuQuoin, Edwardsville, Effingham, Gays, Harrisburg, Havana, Highland, Hoopeston, Loami, Mattoon, Mt. Zion, Mulkeytown, Murphysboro, Neoga, Olney, Oreana, Savoy, Scheller, Shelbyville, Sigel, Simpson, Springfield, Stewardson, Streator, Tallula, Teutopolis, Urbana, Walnut Hill, Warrensburg, Watseka, Wayne City, West Salem and Yale, as well as Evansville, Indiana.

The public is invited and encouraged to show their appreciation for the Veterans by welcoming them home when they return to Springfield's Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport on the 26th, arriving at approximately 9:30pm. It's suggested to be at the airport by 8:30pm. Feel free to wear red, white and blue to show your patriotic spirit or take small American flags, balloons, posters and the like.

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight also announced that the flights for the balance of the year have been confirmed for September 16 and October 28 but are now filled. However, Veteran applications continue to be accepted for the 2015 flight season, with priority given in the following order:

World War II--a soldier enlisted by December 31, 1946

Korean War Era--January 1, 1947 to December 31, 1957

Vietnam War Era--January 1, 1958 to May 7, 1975

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, receiving no federal, state or county funding. The donations, sponsorships, fund raising and efforts of many individuals and businesses have allowed LLHF to honor this flight of Veterans. For more information on speaking to organizations, how to obtain an application, make a donation or just learn more about the Honor Flight mission, visit the official website at LandofLincolnHonorFlight.org or contact John Dust, marketing/media director, at HonorFlightGuy@aol.com or by phoning 309-339-0227.