Veterans’ honor flights resume in April

Honor Flight Northwest Ohio will begin its 2012 flying season on Wednesday, April 25, by taking 80 World War II veterans to Washington, D.C.  These veterans (each accompanied by a personal “guardian”) will visit the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Air Force

Memorial, the Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Since its initial flight in April 2008, Honor Flight Northwest Ohio has taken 859 World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. and has done so with a perfect safety record. A total of 397 of these 859 veterans were flown to Washington, D.C. during the past flying season (2011).

The April 25 flight will include 80 World War II veterans, as will the second flight on Wednesday, May 23.

The third flight on Wednesday, June 20 will include a mix of World War II veterans and Korean War veterans.

And the fourth and fifth flights (on Wednesday, August 29 and Wednesday, September 26) will include mostly Korean War veterans.

World War II veterans and Korean War veterans are still encouraged to apply to be on an Honor Flight.  Vietnam War veterans are also encouraged to apply.

A “Veteran Application” can be found by going to the following website. http://www.honorflightnwo.org/veteran.asp

Guardians and volunteers are needed for each Honor Flight, and applications can be found, respectively, at: http://www.honorflightnwo.org/guardian.asp and http://www.honorflightnwo.org/volunteer.asp.

Each Northwest Ohio Honor Flight departs from (and returns to) the Grand Aire hangar, one mile west of the main terminal at Toledo Express Airport: 11777 West Airport Service Road in Swanton. The general public is invited to attend “send-offs” (approximately 7 to 9 a.m.) and “welcome-homes” (approximately 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.).  All that is needed to gain access to the Grand Aire hangar is a current and valid picture ID.  Children under age 18 do not need an ID if a parent or another adult accompanies them.

For more information on Honor Flight Northwest Ohio, please see the following website: http://www.honorflightnwo.org/.