Flight To D.C. Honors 43 Older Warriors With Visit To War Memorials

Opening its 10th year on April 12 and 13, Honor Flight Dallas Fort Worth (HFDFW) will fly 43 veterans on Southwest Airlines from Love Field for an overnight stay in Washington, D.C., to visit their respective war memorials.

Honor Flight DFW is dedicated to honoring veterans for their service and sacrifices to keep the nation safe. HFDFW provides them with an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. giving them opportunities to share many common experiences with other veterans and to receive recognition for their service to our country.

Veterans who have made the trip in the past nine years have called it a "trip of a lifetime." Over the last nine years, HFDFW, a not-for profit 501(c)(3) organization with its all-volunteer staff, has flown almost 2,000 veterans to Washington.  The veterans honored are living history. They have been awarded countless Silver Stars, Distinguished Flying Crosses, Bronze Stars, Purple Hearts, Prisoner-of-War Medals and Presidential Unit Citations.

The HFDFW Flight #40 passenger list is remarkable. Fourteen veterans served in World War II, including two 100-year-old veterans -- Mrs. Katherine Cobb, who served in the Army, and Mr. Joe Cuba, who is a veteran of the Army Air Corps.

Rounding out the manifest are 25 Korean War veterans, three Cold War warriors, and one Vietnam veteran. The list includes two who served in all three wars -- World War II, Korea and Vietnam. On board will be one Air Force Brigadier General and three women who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

"For many of these veterans, this tour of the nation's capital will the first time they have been recognized for their service.  For 36 Hours of Honor, they will feel the nation's appreciation and perhaps, just perhaps the nightmares of war will be diminished and replaced with dreams of a grateful America," the organization stated.

Flight #40 departs Love Field at 9:15 a.m. on April 12. In D.C., the veterans will tour the war and service memorials, Arlington Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknowns. The visit concludes with a private concert by the United States Air Force Singing Sergeants. The veterans are welcomed home at Love Field at 9:15 p.m. on April 13. The public is invited to attend and greet the veterans as they return from their trip.

HFDFW relies entirely on tax-deductible contributions to meet its goal of funding four Honor Flights per year. Each trip costs approximately $42,000 per flight. HFDFW is designated a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and receives no government funding.  

(Source: Honor Flight DFW news release)

FMI: www.honorflightdfw.org