Meanwhile, a group of volunteer GA pilots in Ohio is working to help the aging veterans of World War II travel to Washington, D.C., to see the memorial in their honor. Making the trip to the capital can be a hardship for many vets — due either to infirmity or finances, or both. Honor Flight, which started last year, flies veterans from Ohio to D.C. in GA aircraft, for free, once a month. So far the group has flown 132 veterans, and there is a waiting list of 257 more. Earl Morse, a retired Air Force captain who started the project, recently quit his job to work on it full-time. “You get bitten by this, and you can’t think of anything else,” Morse told The Associated Press. “The window itself is good for another five to 10 years. After that, it’s going to be a moot point because they’re all going to be gone. This is their last hurrah.” Of the 16 million Americans who served in WWII armed forces, 3.5 million are still alive. An estimated 7 million people have visited the WWII Memorial since it opened in 2004. Honor Flight volunteer pilots have come from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and North Carolina.
…As GA Gives A Lift To WWII Vets
Key Takeaways:
- Honor Flight is a volunteer-led program in Ohio that flies aging World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., for free in general aviation aircraft.
- The program's primary goal is to enable these veterans to visit the World War II Memorial, addressing potential hardships like infirmity or finances.
- Started last year by retired Air Force Captain Earl Morse, Honor Flight has already transported 132 veterans, with a waiting list of 257 more.
- Volunteer pilots from various states contribute to the monthly flights, as the organization races against time to honor these veterans before their numbers diminish further.
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