ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - For the first time in 546 days, the Greater St. Louis Honor Flight is back honoring local war veterans by flying them to Washington D.C. to see the memorials built to recognize their service and sacrifice.
The local non-profit chartered a flight took off with nearly 60 veterans from World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War on Tuesday. They'll return this evening.
This is the 94th Greater St. Louis Honor Flight, but the first time they have chartered their own plane.
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“Because we have been grounded for so long, and because several veterans have passed away while waiting for their flight, we decided to take three big flights between now and November”, according to Jim Pettit, Operations Director. “We feel an even bigger urgency than ever to take as many veterans as fast as we can.”
Two of the veterans on this year's flight are celebrating their birthdays. One is 93-years-old and the other is 89.
Nationwide, there are 125 Honor Flight hubs, who have taken more than 244,000 veterans since 2005. The St. Louis hub flew its first mission in 2009 and has taken more than 2,600 veterans.
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