Veterans take first Honor Flight in nearly two years

Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Veterans of World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War were among over 100 heroes who took the first honor flight in nearly two years.

The Honor Flight Network's day-long trips to honor veterans by flying them to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials and monuments dedicated to their service and sacrifice, had been on hold since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The flights are provided at no-cost to veterans since Honor Flight pays for the experience through donations.

The first flight in nearly two years took off at 5:15 a.m. Wednesday from Midway Airport in Chicago, ABC7 reported.

Curtis Bentley, 98, who was among other veterans at the airport getting ready to board the flight, told ABC7 he was in charge of a mess hall in Okinawa, Japan, at the end of World War II.

"Thank God for me being here today," Bentley said. "What I hope to see today, well I hope to see things I never seen before. ... I have never been to Washington, and I really enjoy being here with the rest of the people."

Bentley was among three World War II veterans on the trip. Most who traveled served during the Vietnam War, while another group served during the Korean War, according to ABC7.

Honor Flight Chicago held a ceremony at the World War II Memorial to honor veterans, which included a Joint Service Color Guard, a military vocalist singing the national anthem and a bugler playing Taps in remembrance.

"Honor Flight trips have long been called, 'the experience of a lifetime' for veterans, but today's long awaited return has made the emotions of experiencing these memorials indescribable," Honor Flight Network Board of Directors president David Smith said in statement.

"The last 16 months have been tough for our organization and the veterans we serve, but to resume our travel at a time when we would best ensure everyone's safety has made this moment worth the wait."

Now that the flights are resuming, more are planned this year. All participants must be fully vaccinated or have a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure, according to the statement.

Since the Honor Flight Network was formed in 2005, more than 240,000 veterans have taken the iconic trip, and the goal is to soon reach the historic milestone of serving 250,000 veterans.