Honor Flight No. 28 scheduled for August 26

[August 12, 2014]  On Tuesday, August 26th, the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight (LLHF) hub from Springfield, Illinois, will take their first flight since folding in the now defunct Central Illinois Honor Flight into their territory and blending their two waiting lists, based upon the date of applications from Veterans.

Now serving central and southern Illinois, this Flight #28 will have 80 Veterans aboard – 32 from World War II, 43 from the Korean War era, and 5 of the Vietnam War era. On this no-cost, day long tour to Washington, DC, to visit and reflect at their national memorials, each Veteran will be accompanied by a volunteer Guardian escort who pay their own way and are responsible for the comfort, logistics, mobility and safety of their Veteran(s) for the day. Aboard the chartered 737 aircraft will be Veterans from the US Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy branches, as well as from the Merchant Marines and Army Air Corps from WW II.

After landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport in DC, they will be transported for the day on three tour buses (code name Red, White and Blue) with an itinerary including stops at the World War II Memorial, Korean Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, National Air & Space Museum (Chantilly, Virginia), Air Force & Marine Corps Memorials, Pentagon drive-by and concluding at Arlington National Cemetery, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and Changing of the Guard. They will also have the opportunity to visit the Lincoln Memorial, as well as see the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, DC World War I Memorial, and much more.

Veterans on this flight come from the Illinois cities of Altamont, Argenta, Bonnie, Carmi, Centralia, Cerro Gordo, Charleston, Collinsville, Danville, Decatur, DuQuoin, Edwardsville, Effingham, Gays, Harrisburg, Havana, Highland, Hoopeston, Loami, Mattoon, Mt. Zion, Mulkeytown, Murphysboro, Neoga, Olney, Oreana, Savoy, Scheller, Shelbyville, Sigel, Simpson, Springfield, Stewardson, Streator, Tallula, Teutopolis, Urbana, Walnut Hill, Warrensburg, Watseka, Wayne City, West Salem and Yale, as well as Evansville, Indiana.

The public is invited and encouraged to show their appreciation for these Veterans by welcoming them home when they return to Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport on August 26th, arriving at approximately 9:30 PM. It is suggested to be to the airport by 8:30 and feel free to wear red, white & blue to show your patriotic spirit or bring small American flags, balloons, posters, etc.

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight also announces that the flights for the balance of the year have been confirmed for September 16th and October 28th and are now filled. However, Veteran applications continue to be accepted for the 2015 flight season, with priority given in the following order:
World War II ~ a soldier enlisted by 12/31/1946
Korean War Era ~ 01/01/1947 to 12/31/1957
Vietnam War Era ~ 01/01/1958 to 05/07/1975

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, receiving no federal, state or county funding. The donations, sponsorships, fund raising and efforts of many individuals and businesses have allowed LLHF to honor this flight of Veterans. For more information on speaking to organizations, how to obtain an application, make a donation or just learn more about the Honor Flight mission, please visit the official web site at LandofLincolnHonorFlight.org or contact John Dust, marketing/media director, at [e-mail] or cell 309-339-0227.

[Text received; LAND OF LINCOLN HONOR FLIGHT]