Third World War II Honor Flight set for Sept. 16

This latest flight brings the total to 100 Tri-State Area veterans who have participated in a Great River Honor Flight in the local group’s first year.

“That is an amazing accomplishment,” said Carlos Fernandez, chairman of the group. “This is a direct result of the generosity and gratitude that local businesses and individuals have shown for these deserving heroes.”

As with the first Honor Flight in April, this trip will begin and end at the Quality Inn and Suites of Hannibal, Mo.

Each mission has been a milestone for the organization, with the first mission to DC scheduled five months after the group’s start.
Mission II in June moved to Quincy, Ill., and used Holiday Inn East as its headquarters for that trip. The second trip was highlighted by the escort of more than 100 motorcycles as well as a contingent of state troopers, county sheriffs and local police units from various locations in Illinois and Missouri.

Those veterans were welcomed home by a cheering crowd of approximately 500 family members, supporters and the Quincy Park Band. Also, Mission II included the first female World War II veteran for Great River Honor Flight.

Veterans and guardians will be transported by charter bus to St. Louis Lambert International Airport where they will board a direct flight to Baltimore and then travel to Washington, D.C.

If time permits, after visiting the World War II memorial the veterans will take a tour of the city and visit other memorials including Arlington National Cemetery.

A direct flight back to St. Louis will end in a charter bus ride back to Hannibal later that same night. Their arrival time back to Hannibal is expected to be at about 11 p.m. Thursday.

As with the previous flights, veterans will be selected from all around the Tri-State Area.

“The hope is that enough money will be raised to allow a fourth flight in October of this year as well as to begin our fundraising for 2011,” said Neil Maune, vice-chairman of the organization.

Contributions of any amount are appreciated and are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Honor Flight does not accept contributions from WWII veterans, as they have already given enough for the nation.

Great River Honor Flight, a Missouri nonprofit corporation established in October of 2009, was created solely to honor America’s veterans that live in the area for all they have sacrificed by providing, free of charge, transportation to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials dedicated to honor their service and sacrifices.

It is estimated that more than 1,000 World War II veterans are dying each day across the country.

The World War II memorial honors the 16 million who served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died and the millions who supported the war effort from home.

Funded primarily by private contributions, the memorial opened on April 29, 2004.

Access www.wgem.com/honorflight, contact David Mobley at 573-985-5641 or 248-2136, or Susan Till at 217-228-6673 for more information and about how to contribute.