Honor Flight Randi McNiel

It was a small clinic in Springfield, Ohio in May 2004. The World War II Memorial was completed and dedicated in Washington D.C. and became the topic of conversation among World War II veterans. Earl Morse, a physician assistant, and Retired Air Force Captain was hired by the Department of Veteran Affairs to work in the clinic after retiring from the Air Force in 1998. He often asked his veteran patients if they would ever travel to visit their memorial, and most said they probably would, eventually. But as the months passed it became clear that it simply wasn’t financially or physically possible for them to make the trip. Most had given up all hope of ever visiting the memorial that was created to honor their service and that of their comrades who had paid the ultimate sacrifice. Earl wanted to honor these veterans he had cared for the past 27 years. There had to be a way to get them to Washington D.C.

In addition to being a physician assistant, Earl was also a licensed pilot and a member of one of the largest aero clubs located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. In December of 2004, Earl asked one of his World War II veteran patients if he could personally fly him, free of charge, to see his memorial. Mr. Loy broke down and cried, and graciously accepted the offer.

A week later Earl asked a second World War II veteran who also cried and accepted the trip. In fact, many veterans had the same reaction, so Earl began asking for help from other pilots to make these dreams a reality. However, there were two stipulations:

• The veterans would pay nothing. The entire aircraft rental ($600 to $1200 for the day) would have to be paid by the pilots.

• The pilots would personally escort the veterans around Washington D.C. for the entire day.

Eleven pilots who didn’t even know his patients stepped up to volunteer. And Honor Flight was born.

The first Honor Flight was in May 2005 with six small planes taking twelve WWII veterans to visit their memorial. By August there was a waiting list of veterans, and Southwest Airlines was among the first commercial airlines to help accommodate as many veterans as possible. By the end of 2010, more than 63,000 veterans had taken the Honor Flight to see their memorials.

In 2011 my dad was accepted for an Honor Flight, and in May of that year, at the age of 91, he boarded a plane for Washington D.C. with 36 World War II veterans from the Denver area. Traveling with them were escorts, called Guardians, and a doctor who checked all medications. There were wheelchairs for those who needed them or for anyone just getting tired. The veterans paid nothing for their trip – but the Guardians who volunteer their time also paid their own expenses, which was about $850.

Upon arriving at Baltimore-Washington Airport on Friday, there were hundreds of well-wishers greeting them with loud cheers and thanks. After a good night’s rest, they saw the World War II Memorial first where there was a brief ceremony. My dad was called upon to hold the American flag. They saw other memorials as well, including the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, with a brief tour of the D.C. area on their way to the airport on Sunday. At one point my dad walked into a coffee shop and asked for a cup of coffee. As he was pulling out his wallet the young man behind the counter said, “Are you with the Honor Flight? There is no charge.” There was another surprise for the veterans on their flight home as each one was called out by rank and name. Upon arriving at Denver International Airport at 10:30 Sunday night, there were again hundreds of people cheering and thanking them, including 3 bagpipers and a drummer in full dress. What an honor for these veterans!

With few World War II veterans left the Honor Flight has moved to honoring veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as well as those with terminal illnesses. Today there are 130 Honor Flight Hubs in 45 U.S. States. In 2018, 21,189 veterans were flown with 19,383 Guardians. There are 38,054 veterans on the waiting list and people all around the country who specifically go to the airports to cheer veterans as they return from their Honor Flight.

Will Rogers said, “We can’t all be heroes. Some of us have to stand on the curb and clap as they go by.” The Honor Flight is a way of paying a small tribute to those who gave so much. It is truly a memorable, safe, and rewarding TOUR OF HONOR!

Photos provided by writer.