Freedom Honor Flight sends its 24th flight
La Crosse-based Freedom Honor Flight, which serves veterans in western Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota and northern Iowa, continues its goal to fly veterans to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials that rise in their honor. Over 11 years of operation, Freedom Honor Flight has flown just shy of 3,000 area veterans.
The next flight is scheduled for September 14 and will consist of 1 WWII, 18 Korean-era and 76 Vietnam-era veterans. 5 of these Vietnam veterans have received Purple Hearts, while 2 have been awarded two Purple Hearts AND seven Bronze Stars.
A send-off ceremony will be held at the La Crosse Regional Airport at Colgan Air Hangar 4 with hangar doors opening at 6 a.m. The first stop will be to the Korean, Vietnam and Lincoln momuments, followed the WWII Memorial. Around 4 p.m., veterans will then visit Arlington National Cemetery. Before arriving to the airport in Washington D.C., veterans will have a chance to view the sunset from the Pentagon.
Freedom Honor Flight will be departing Washington D.C. around 9:35 p.m. and is expected to arrive in back into La Crosse at 11:05 p.m. Following arrival, a welcome home ceremony will be held at Colgan Air Hangar 4. Hangar doors open at 9 p.m.