October 4, 2007
Honor Flight Taking WWII Vets to Monument in D.C.

By Dave Maxwell

If you are a World War II vet and want to see the WWII Memorial in Washington D.C., it’s possible you could and at no, or very little charge to you. Honor Flight is a non-profit organization created in 2005 solely to honor American’s veterans for all their sacrifices. Top priority is given to the senior veterans—WWII survivors along with other veterans who might be terminally ill.

Founded by Earl Morse (USAF RET) of Springfield, Ohio, a former Air Force Physicians Assistant, Honor Flight is dedicated to getting those senior veterans to the Memorial for a visit they may not otherwise even try to make. “For them to wait 60 years to have a memorial and no way to get there, that was something we had to resolve and thank goodness we’re doing that,” Morse said.

Most WWII vets are now in their 80s and do not have the physical and mental wherewithal to complete the trip on their own. Families and friends also usually don’t have the resources and time to make a 3-4 day trip to D.C. and due to their advancing age, the WWII vets are rapidly passing away.

From those he talked to, Morse could tell that the majority of veterans had given up all hope of ever visiting the Memorial that was specifically created to honor their services and the services of their fellow comrades who had paid the ultimate sacrifice. “It’s important to them,” he said. “They would like to see how America recognizes their service. But they also want to see how their friends are going to be remembered, their buddies that didn’t make it out of the plane, off the beach or through the field. They come there for them as well.”

In late 2004, Morse, who is also a civilian pilot, hit upon the idea of gathering a group of private planes to fly vets to D.C. from select airports in the country at no charge. And the idea worked. In May 2005, six small planes flew 12 very happy veterans out to Manassas, Virginia, just outside Washington D.C. Vans then transported the group to the Memorial for a visit. Soon other flights were planned and successfully completed. By the end of 2005, Honor Flight took 137 WWII Veterans to see their memorial. In 2006, using commercial flights, from select locations in the nation, they took 300 veterans to the Memorial.

Most flights are by commercial carriers now, but there is still no charge for the flight or the time spent in D.C., except that which the vets themselves want to spend for souvenirs or things they may do in their free time.

According to Morse, “WWII veterans collectively saved the world. To this day the Pacific is free, Europe is free and thank God, America is free. For them to have a memorial and no way to see it, being a private pilot, I started putting plans together to fly them out personally.

Other cities and states are becoming more aware of the program and Honor Flight is working to establish chapters with community leaders in states nationwide. As of right now, though, there are none in the western United States and the closest place from which an Honor Flight could be taken is in Fargo, North Dakota, set for November 2, 2007.

In 2007, Honor Flight set a goal for itself of transporting 5,000 veterans from across the country to the Memorial.

There is a waiting list, on a first-come first-serve basis, which is growing, but it is still possible to have your name placed on that list for maybe this year or for 2008. Priority is given to those who have terminal illnesses.

Those interested in more information are asked to contact Honor Flight, 300 East Auburn Avenue, Springfield, Ohio 45505-4703. Telephone 937-521-2400. On the web, www.info@honorflight.org.

In the future, Morse says, Honor Flight will also pay tribute to America’s other heroes that served during the Korean and Vietnam wars, then followed by veterans of more current wars.