The fall schedule for the Kansas Honor Flights will begin Wednesday, Sept. 7 when 10 World War II, 14 Korean War, and 3 Vietnam veterans and their guardians will fly to Washington, DC. The Southwest Airlines flight will depart Wichita at 5:35 am.
On this flight will be twin brothers, Jim and Paul Heger, who both served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. There are also two brothers, Lewie Cooper, a Korean War vet, and his brother Harold Cooper, a Vietnam War vet.
The veterans will enjoy a two-night stay in the nation’s capital, where the group will visit the World War II Memorial, the Korean Veterans Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, the Navy Memorial, Air Force Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial. Additionally, the group will tour the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, Ft. McHenry, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The public is invited to participate in the patriotic welcome home celebration on Friday. The Southwest Airlines’ flight is scheduled to return at 11:20 am. Free parking and shuttle services are available at the Best Western Airport Inn, 6815 W. Kellogg. Shuttle service starts at 10 a.m. More information is available at www.kansashonorflight.org.
The remaining Honor Flights are scheduled: September 21-23, October 5-7, October 19-21, and November 2-4.
These trips have been organized by Kansas Honor Flight, Inc. The mission of Honor Flight is to transport America’s veterans to Washington, DC to visit the memorials at no cost to them, with current priority to World War II veterans. After the World War II veterans, efforts focus on Korean War veterans followed by Vietnam War veterans. Guardians, who pay their own travel expenses, accompany each veteran to ensure safe travel. Contributions from the public provide the necessary funding for this trip. Please visit www.kansashonorflight.org to find more information regarding this all-expense paid trip.
The trips are made possible through the cooperation and coordination of Southwest Airlines, TSA, ABM Parking, Airport Concessionaires MSE Branded Foods and Paradies, and Wichita Airport Authority staff.