To the Editor:
Honor Flight is a national all-volunteer organization dedicated to honoring World War II and Korean War Veterans. In particular, the Hub I am involved with is called the Philadelphia hub, even though we operate out of Springfield, Delaware County, Pa. Our mission is to take Veterans of these two wars to see their memorials in Washington D.C., at no cost to the veterans. A guardian, who pays his or her own way, accompanies each veteran. Donations and fundraisers cover the of trip costs, so the veteran pays nothing.
Our day of honor starts at 6 a.m. We typically have five busses with 125 veterans and 125 guardians head down to Washington D.C. We have police escorts through Pa., Del. and Md. Also various motorcycle groups escort us in the beginning, such as Wounded Warrior, Nam Knights, American Legion and Rolling Thunder.
In D.C., park police and D.C. police escort us throughout the day as we visit the various memorials. We visit Arlington National Cemetery, Marine Corps, Iwo Jima memorial, Air Force memorial, Vietnam, Korean War memorial, then on to World War II memorial.
Our trip back to Springfield picks up another motorcycle escort at the Delaware Pa. border to escort us back to Springfield. Various towns have fire engines on the overpasses on Interstate 95 to salute the veterans. In Springfield we have a red carpet welcome home with dinner and a show by the Manhattan Dolls, a WWII Andrew Sisters cover group.
Our veterans are overwhelmed with pride and it is a joy to honor these people while we have a chance. I myself, a proud Vietnam veteran, and Purple Heart recipient feel lucky to be involved as a bus leader with this organization.
To learn more, please join us as we show the Honor Flight Movie at the Avalon Library, 253 32nd Street, July 22 at 6 p.m.
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