By Jenni Ankarstrom
Sentinel Reporter
Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization created solely to honor America’s veterans for all their sacrifices. The organization transports the nation’s heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect at their memorials. Top priority is given to the senior veterans – World War II survivors, along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill.
According to some statistics, over 600 WWII veterans die each day. The time to express thanks to these brave men and women is running out. The Honor Flight Network, including the Honor Flight New England hub, representing Connecticut, will continue do whatever it takes to fulfill the dreams of veterans and help the nation’s heroes travel absolutely free. Honor Flight New England (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont) joined with the national organization Honor Flight Network in the spring of 2009.The Honor Flight Network presently has 127 hubs in 41 states.
The Honor Flight Network program was conceived by Earl Morse, a physician assistant and Retired Air Force Captain. After retiring from the Air Force in 1998, Earl was hired by the Department of Veterans Affairs to work in a small clinic in Springfield, Ohio. In May of 2004, the World War II Memorial was finally completed and dedicated in Washington, D.C. and quickly became the topic of discussion among his World War II veteran patients.
Morse repeatedly asked these veterans if they would ever travel to visit their newly built memorial. Most felt that they might make it to D.C. with a family member or friend. However, a year later when these same veterans returned to the clinic for their follow up visits, this was not the case.
Morse asked these veteran patients if they had been able to accomplish their dream of visiting the World War II Memorial. The truth was that for most of the veterans, it wasn’t financially or physically possible for them to make the journey. Most of these senior heroes were, at that time, in their 80s and could not make a trip on their own. Additionally, the veteran families and friends also lacked the resources to complete the trip to the nation’s capital.
It was obvious to Morse that the majority of the veterans had given up all hope of ever visiting the memorial that was specifically created to honor their services, as well as the services of their fellow comrades who had paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Morse decided that there had to be a way to get these heroes to D.C. to see their memorial. In addition to being a physician assistant, Earl was also a private pilot and a member of one of our nation’s largest and best aero clubs located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
In December of 2004, Morse asked one of his World War II veteran patients if he could personally fly him out to D.C., free of charge, to visit his memorial. This veteran, a Mr. Loy, broke down and cried. He told Morse that at his age he would probably never get to see his memorial other wise, and graciously accepted the offer.
Morse posed the same question to another World War II veteran a week later. He too cried and enthusiastically accepted the trip. It didn’t take long for Morse to realize that there were many veterans who would have the same reaction. So he started asking for help from other pilots to make these dreams a reality. In January of 2005, Earl addressed about 150 members of his aero club during a safety meeting, outlining a volunteer program to fly veterans to their memorial in Washington, D.C. There were two major stipulations to his request. The first was that the veterans take the trip at no cost to them, thus the entire aircraft rental ($600 to $1200 for the day) would have to be paid by the pilots. The second stipulation was that the pilots personally escort the veterans for the entire day and be their trip “guardian.”
After Morse spoke, eleven pilots, who had never even met his patients, stepped up to volunteer for this mission to honor locally based WWII veterans. Soon with other dedicated volunteers joining in, Honor Flight was born. The inaugural Honor Flight Tour took place in May of 2005. Six small planes flew out of Springfield, Ohio taking twelve World War II veterans on a visit to their memorial in Washington. In August of 2005, an ever-expanding waiting list of veterans led the transition to commercial airline carriers with the goal of accommodating as many veterans as possible. Partnering with HonorAir in Hendersonville, North Carolina, the “Honor Flight Network” was formed.
The responses from both the veterans and the pilots were overwhelming. It was an experience that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. Soon other flights were planned and made. Because so many veterans wanted to participate, commercial aircraft were soon used to accommodate forty veterans at a time, including many in wheelchairs. By the end of the first year, Honor Flight had transported 137 World War II veterans to their memorial. In 2006, commercial flights were exclusively used due to the number of veterans on the waiting list and adverse weather conditions which prohibited small aircraft from participating on a regular schedule. Locally, another 300 veterans completed the journey during that year.
The mission and ideals of the program began to spread across America. Other cities and states became aware of the efforts and Honor Flight began to foster working relationships with dedicated community leaders in several states. Jeff Miller, of HonorAir in Hendersonville, North Carolina led the expansion into areas not serviced by direct commercial flights to the Washington, D.C. area. Miller accomplished what was thought to be impossible, organizing and obtaining funding to fly an entire commercial jet filled with local area veterans to visit their monument.
In February of 2006, Morse and Miller combined efforts and co-founded Honor Flight Network. The leaders of various regional memorial tour programs, and others interested in starting similar projects in their own regions, attended a summit in Washington, D.C. with over 100 people in attendance. Now a network of participating programs is in place to assist the nation’s senior heroes. Resources are pooled, experience is shared and alliances are formed throughout America to get World War II veterans to their precious memorial safely. By the end of 2006, 891 World War II veterans across America realized their dream of visiting their memorial.
In May 2008, Southwest Airlines stepped up by donating thousands of free tickets, and was named the official commercial carrier of the Honor Flight Network. It is because of this generous donation that the Honor Flight Network undoubtedly now has more flexibility, more opportunity and are now more than ever able to serve more veterans on a “anxiously waiting list,” than would have been possible given the economy and the decrease in charitable contributions.
Honor Flight New England’s first flight was on June 13, 2009. There have been 40 Honor Flight New England trips taken since that inaugural trip. Honor Flight New England veteran alumni include: over 1,300 total veterans, 20 sets of brothers, 34 prisoner of war, 53 female veterans and several veterans that served in 3 wars (WWII, Korea and Vietnam).
“It is a humbling experience to be with these WWII Veterans on their trips to D.C.,” stated Joe Byron, founder of Honor Flight New England, “We feel honored to escort these wonderful men and women to visit their memorials.”
Honor Flight New England’s most recent trip took place on November 1, 2015 with 58 WWII Veterans on the trip including Emiddio Cavalire from Connecticut. Cavalire was 18 when he joined the Army, serving in an intelligence unit that took part in the invasion and liberation of the Philippine Islands. He was stationed in the Phillipines, at the time the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan.
“This trip to Washington to see our monument was a great experience,” stated Cavaliere, “and it certainly brought back memories about that time when we were just teenagers fighting to save the world from aggression.”
With time of the essence for WWII veterans, the Honor Flight Network, including Honor Flight New England, has established aggressive goals. Through the end of 2012 the organization transported more than 98,500 veterans to Washington, D.C. to see their memorial, yet there are so many more veterans waiting to go. Due to the senior age of the nation’s WWII heroes, and the prediction that the nation is losing over 600 of them daily, there is a commitment to do all that can be done to make their dream a reality.
All donations to the Honor Flight federal, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization are tax deductible. Contributors should consult their tax advisor concerning the financial benefits of making such a donation. A donation will help transport veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit their memorials with the top priority being the nation’s most senior heroes. World War II veterans waited patiently for over 65 years for a memorial that recognizes their service and accomplishments. The World War II Memorial also recognizes the ultimate sacrifices of their friends who never made it home. Similarly, Korean and Vietnam Veterans have been waiting for years to see their memorial as well. They all deserve this one last opportunity to visit America’s memorials built to honor them.
Honor Flight New England, which includes Connecticut, is always looking volunteers and donations to help support their mission. For more information about becoming a volunteer or a guardian, contact Honor Flight New England at www.HonorFlightNewEngland.org or contact Chairperson, Joseph Byron Honor Flight New England (603) 518-5368, HonorflightNewEngland@gmail.com. Please assist a veteran: family member, neighbor or friend, make this trip by filling out an on-line application for them and/or making a donation to enable another to go!
