“Honor Flight” is a nation-wide program conceived to transport as many World War II veterans and other veterans who may be terminally ill as possible (at no cost to them) to visit the National World War II Memorial in Washington DC, if they have not seen it yet. Most World War II veterans are in their 80’s, many lack the physical wherewithal to complete such a trip on their own. Volunteer guardians accompany veterans to assure their safety.
In May 2009, the very first “Honor Flight” effort was organized for individuals in the Hampton Roads area. About 90 veterans from our area were transported to Washington, D.C. to visit Arlington Cemetery, the National WW II memorial, and the Marine Corps National Museum on their way home. Perhaps you read about the trip in the Daily Press.
Additional Honor Flight trips are planned for a Saturday in April and October of each year.
Participating veterans in the Virginia Beach area board a bus there early on Saturday morning and then link-up with other participants in Williamsburg.
VIPMOAA members may help out at Williamsburg by:
- Making a monetary donation to help defray the costs (it costs approximately $150 to sponsor one veteran) or “Sponsor” a specific veteran;
- Volunteering to transport veterans who may need transportation to the debarkation points;
- Helping to “spread the word” so as many eligible veterans as possible know about the event. The event sponsors rely on VFW and American Legion Posts to get the message out to veterans.
- Showing up on Saturday morning, to give the veterans a big “send-off!” at the departure point in Williamsburg .
I think this is a very meaningful event for our chapter members to support and am soliciting your support. If you’d like to help on the VIPMOAA team, please let us know by sending e-mail to peninsulamoaa@gmail.com or by calling me, if it is more convenient, at 757-851-1141.
Or, you may donate personally of your time or money - via the Honor Flight website.
/Jim Pauls, Col, USAF-Ret, President
Posted on website 29 July 2009 Web Link added in August. Meet-Up info added 7 Sep 2009
Photo added 25 Sep 2009
Changed to after-event info Nov 2009
Made wording more static 26 March 2010
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HISTORIC TRIANGLE VIRGINIA HONOR FLIGHT flyer in PDF format |
VIPMOAA members who participated in the October "send-off" in Williamsburg:
COL Jim Pauls, USAF, Ret (VIPMOAA President)
COL George Fries, USAF, Ret (VIPMOAA ROTC Chair)
CDR Fred Malvin, USN, Ret (VIPMOAA Treasurer)
LTC Blair Smith, USA, Ret and his wife, Libby
WEB LINK
for local Historic Triangle
Honor Flight:
www.honorflighthtva.org
CHECK OUT VIDEOS OF THE OCT "FLIGHT"
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| CDR Jack Greenhalgh, USN, Ret, talks to VIPMOAA about Honor Flight at 24 Sep 2009 meeting, Fort Eustis Club. Greenhalgh is a VIPMOAA member. He more recently addressed VIPMOAA in Williamsburg on 25 March 2010. Photo by M. Mallison, VIPMOAA PAO. |
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