HONOR FLIGHT DUBUQUE

HONOR FLIGHT DUBUQUE. Honor Flight Network was a non-profit organization created solely to honor America's veterans for all their sacrifices. Veterans were flown to Washington, D.C. at no expense to them to visit and reflect at their memorials. Top priority was given to the senior veterans – WORLD WAR II survivors, along with those other veterans who might be terminally ill. Between the time the network was established in 2005 and May, 2010 an estimated 40,000 veterans were brought to Washington, D.C. from across the United States. The tour included a visit to the World War II Memorial, the Korean Memorial, the Viet Nam Wall, the Lincoln Memorial, the Marine Corps Memorial, always ending the day at Arlington National Cemetery and viewing the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (1)

The inaugural Honor Flight took place in May of 2005. Six small planes flew out of Springfield, Ohio taking twelve World War II veterans on a visit to the memorial in Washington, DC. In August of 2005, an ever-expanding waiting list of veterans led to the transition to commercial airline carriers with the goal of accommodating as many veterans as possible. Partnering with HonorAir in Hendersonville, North Carolina, the "Honor Flight Network" was formed.

Although Dubuque was not the first city in Iowa to have an Honor Flight, on May 18, 2010 ninety-five veterans and sixty-seven sponsors completed the inaugural Honor Flight from Dubuque. Arriving at the airport around 5:00 a.m., they flew to the nation's capital and returned to the DUBUQUE REGIONAL AIRPORT at 10:45 p.m. to a reception of friends and well-wishers. The second flight was made on October 19, 2010. Back-to-back flights were made in September, 2011, 2012, and 2013. (2)

In May 2014 after carrying 900 veterans on ten flights, Honor Flight of Great Dubuque was disbanded. (3) Perry Mason, Honor Flight of Great Dubuque committee chairman, stated that every effort had been made to find every World War II veteran who wanted to go on the trip. The final two flights were made in May, 2014 with 173 WORLD WAR II and KOREAN CONFLICT veterans with sixty guardians. (4) Those who may not have had a chance to fly out of Dubuque could still participate in similar programs out of Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, the Quad Cites in Iowa and La Crosse, Wisconsin. (5)

To accomplish the flights, over $750,000 was raised. Funds remaining were to be distributed to area veterans groups and dedicated to helping veterans and veteran families. (6)

It was announced on February 26, 2020 that Honor Flights were being relaunched from Dubuque to Washington, D.C. for a larger group of military veterans. The new flights were open to all veterans with priority given to World War II, Korean and Vietnam veterans. The first two flights were scheduled for September. (7) This, however, was cancelled due to the PANDEMIC.

In December, 2021 the announcement was made that the honor flights would be resumed. Now called Honor Flight of Dubuque and the Tri-States, the program would hold two flights on May 23, and 24th. The flights would again be free to veterans. They would leave from Dubuque in the morning and return at night with priority given to the oldest veterans and those with certain health conditions. Fundraising was to be used to raise the estimated $600 to transport each veteran. Guardians who choose to travel with veterans were asked to contribute $500 to cover the cost of the flights. (8)

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Source:

1. "Honor Flight of Greater Dubuque," Online: http://honorflightdbq.org/

2. Reber, Craig D. "Local Honor Flight Mission 'Completed.' Telegraph Herald, May 29, 2014, p. 3A

3. Habegger, Becca. "Honor Flight of Great Dubuque Ends Flights," KWWL.com. Online: http://www.kwwl.com/story/25631722/2014/05/28/honor-flight-of-greater-dubuque-ending-its-flights

4. Reber.

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.

7. Hogstrom, Erik, "Honor Flights to Resume in Dubuque," Telegraph Herald, February 26, 2020, p. 1A

8. Kruse, John, "Honor Flights to Return for Dubuque Veterans," Telegraph Herald, December 11, 2021, p. 5A