![]() There will be 42 veterans this time, each traveling with a companion or “guardian,” someone to look after their individual needs for the day.Īs the veterans and their guardians debark their buses and enter the terminal for their early morning flight, they will pass between two long lines of dignitaries, fire chiefs and senior military brass. Saturday's trip - Honor Flight Thunderbolt More: URI dedicates new facility to help veterans transition to college life They know we are medically trained and this makes it easier for them to decide to go.” “Elderly people and those with infirmities are particularly comforted by the fact that the fire department is making their arrangements. “I was moved by the experience and thought the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs would make great sponsors of a Rhode Island program. “My wife and I saw an Honor Flight at BWI airport in 2010,” Farrell related. George Farrell served more than 30 years in the Providence Fire Department, working his way up through the ranks from firefighter and eventually serving as chief from 2007 until his retirement in 2011. There are now some 140 Honor Flight programs in 44 states.įrom 2019: R.I.'s first female Honor Flight Launch of the RI program So in May 2005, seven private planes, carrying 12 WWII veterans from Ohio, took off for Washington, and the Honor Flight concept was born. “I was not ready for him to start crying.” “I was prepared for him to demur, or say he had to check with his family,” said Morse in a 2005 interview. On impulse, Morse said he was renting a private plane to visit Washington. It dawned on Morse that many of the veterans this memorial was designed to honor were already too infirm for a car or bus ride, and many could not afford the cost of a flight. “I’m too old, and I have no way to get there.” Making conversation with one of his patients who was a WWII vet, Morse asked about the WWII Memorial that had been dedicated the previous year. The Honor Flight concept began in Ohio in 2005, started by Jeff Miller and Earl Morse. “Going on an honor flight might help give Vietnam vets a little of that recognition they deserve and a proper welcome home.” History of Honor Flight ![]() The website address is “And if you don’t have a computer, or are not tech savvy, just give our office a call at 40 and we will walk you through it,” said Farrell. military is eligible to go all they have to do is download a form from our website and send it in.” “Nothing could be further from the truth,” Farrell insists. There also seems to be a perception among the Vietnam community that you have to be invited to go on an Honor Flight, or be nominated for inclusion by some higher power. Most did not join traditional veteran service organizations such as the American Legion or the VFW - but much of the recruitment for Honor Flights in the past 10 years has been through those groups. “When we started, we restricted participation to World War II vets, and then Korean War vets,” he continued. “Until recently, only those Vietnam vets with serious medical conditions were accepted.”įor a number of reasons, mostly related to the way they were treated when they came home, Vietnam veterans are harder to reach than their WWII or Korean counterparts. “As our pool of World War II and Korea vets dwindles, we are now looking to serve the Vietnam community,” said Farrell. The organizers were aware from the beginning that the march of time would necessitate a change in the target audience. The national organization describes its mission as “helping every single veteran in America, willing and able to get on a plane or a bus, visit his/her memorial.” Vietnam Vets sought for future flights The next priority is veterans who served between WWI and the Korean War, followed by the Korean War, and so on, in chronological order of conflicts. Top priority is given to World War II veterans, and to any veteran with a terminal illness who wishes to visit his or her memorial. Combat service or foreign deployment is not required. military (including the Reserves and National Guard) is eligible for an Honor Flight trip. “We’ve also transported dozens of other veterans from Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflicts, and, thanks to our generous sponsors, these trips are completely free of any charge to the veterans.”Īny veteran of any war is eligible to participateĪny veteran who has served in the U.S. “To date we’ve taken 521 WW II veterans, 155 Korean War veterans and 35 Vietnam War veterans, along with a family member or friend, to visit their memorials. “Since 2012 we have organized 26 Honor Flights to Washington,” Farrell told me. ![]() Retired Providence Fire Chief George Farrell heads up the Rhode Island program.
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