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Veteran Affairs

2012-08-02 09:27:41

Kansas honor flights

Q- Recently I heard about a program called Kansas Honor Flight. What are they? Also, can you tell me a little about the World War Memorial?

A- Thank you for asking, and thank you to The Q & A Times for referring this question to me. The Kansas Honor Flight provides all expense paid trips to Washington, D.C. for World War II veterans so they can visit their World War II Memorial that was built in their honor by a grateful nation. Veterans from the Korean War, Vietnam War and so on will be sent on later Honor Flights, in their turn, to visit their war memorial in Washington, D.C.. The Kansas Honor Flight’s mission is to raise the necessary funds, identify World War II Veterans and fly them to Washington DC to visit their WWII Memorial before it’s too late for them. We are losing these heroes at over 1,800 a day nationwide. We are losing approximately 28 Kansas World War II veterans each day! There are less than 350,000 of the original 16 million who served in World War II still with us today. Many cannot travel. The terminally ill veterans go to the head of the list and given booking priority. In the past two years over $1,194,700.00 has been raised in donations, over 1,101 Kansas World War II veterans have been sent on HONOR FLIGHT and over 737 Guardians have gone on HONOR FLIGHT from south central Kansas! The Kansas World War II veterans go all expenses paid! Donated funds are given by generous fellow Kansans. The cost to send one Kansas World War II veteran is $650.00. The Guardians that go on the trip pay $650.00 per person. The Guardians look after the needs of the veteran that they are assigned to. Needless to say a strong bonding takes place during the trip. In 2011 several flights of over 100+ Kansas World War II veterans departed from Wichita, Kansas Mid-Continent Airport. Guardians also went on this trip putting the plane load over 200 Kansans. If someone out there would write a tax deductible donation of $65,000.00, we could send another flight of 100 Kansas World War II veterans on Kansas Honor Flight. Donation information can be found via the website, www.kansashonorflight.org. In 2010, the students from Pleasant Valley Middle School in Wichita, KS decided they wanted to go on an Honor Flight after studying about our American World War II veterans in history class. They raised over $12,000.00 one summer washing cars, mowing lawns, baby sitting and various other chores that paid a wage. They paid their own way, the veteran they were going with and the adult Guardian that was assigned to the veteran. The veterans fly to Washington, D.C. and after landing, board 56 passenger buses that provide transportation while visiting all the local memorials. Leaving the airport in buses, they are greeted by an enthusiastic formation of our military lined up on the sidewalk, rendering the hand salute. During their visit to Washington, D.C., they are given a banquet, see their WWII Memorial, meet Bob Dole when he is in town and physically able, and other Kansas political representatives. The veterans are taken to see the Korean War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial Wall. They have a short souvenir break, then cross the Potomac to see the IWO JIMA Memorial, and the final changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery before bedding down. The bus rides are full of video of the WWII Memorials construction and the Dedication ceremony. Courageous testimonies and more networking truly bond these heroes and allow closure that few other events can. When returning to Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport, they are given a hero’s welcome by the citizens of Wichita. Thousands turn out to clap, cheer and give hugs to these Kansas World War II veterans. It is a moving experience that one has to be in the crowd to truly appreciate.