The Honor Flight Network marked a historic moment Tuesday, as it celebrated the milestone of bringing 250,000 veterans to Washington, D.C. during a ceremony at the National World War II Memorial.
“The United States Marine Corps, at its strength, is 180,000 people on active duty, meaning that over the life of Honor Flight we have flown more than enough people to create our own branch of the United States military,” said Honor Flight Network Board Chairman Matthew Shuman.
Participation in an Honor Flight trip allows veterans, at no cost to themselves, to experience the monuments built in their honor alongside their comrades while remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the country. Honor Flight Network annually coordinates the travel of approximately 25,000 veterans from around the country.
House of Representatives Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) called the work Honor Flight does “incredible.”
“For many veterans, these trips to Washington have helped them process decades of wartime trauma,” he said.
Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), recalled the story of his late father’s Honor Flight trip to the memorial.
Related
“In his sted, let me say to you, dad, veteran, I respect you, I thank you for your service and we love you,” he said.
There are 50,000 veterans are on a waiting list to make the trip, added Shuman.
“That’s 50,000 more stories, 50,000 more veterans to honor and those are only the ones we know and have applied,” he said.
Former Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), whose husband, the late Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.), led fundraising efforts for the World War II Memorial and could often be seen greeting Honor Flight veterans as they visited, said those visits were something he treasured and looked forward to.
Related
“During these visits, there were a lot of handshakes and swapped stories, countless smiles and often some tears, too,” she said. “But, most of all, there was a sense of the unspoken bond the shared, the bond that only exits between ordinary Americans who are called to do the extraordinary.”
Deputy Veterans Affairs Secretary Donald M. Remy called the memorials “beacons of hope.”
“These Honor Flights are so damn important,” he said. “They are a tangible means of expressing our gratitude to those who have given so much of themselves, of thanking those who are the reason for America’s greatness.”
Rosenbeck also announced the return of National Park Police escorts for Honor Flights trips beginning June 1.
Related
“We are so grateful to the Park Police for providing this service to keep our veterans safe while they enjoy their day of honor at their memorials,” she said.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.