Mission 54 Media Coverage:

Channel 8:

http://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/local-news/honor-flight-54-was-once-in-a-life-time-experience-for-veterans-of-the-greater-rochester-area/744698913

Channel 10:

http://www.whec.com/news/honor-flight-big-welcome-fathers-day/4518032/?cat=565

Spectrum News

http://www.twcnews.com/nys/rochester/news/2017/06/19/father-s-day-honor-flight-veteran-dads.html

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Honor Flight Rochester Welcomes Home Veterans on Father’s Day

Mission 54 returns with 59 veterans on June 18

On Sunday, June 18, Honor Flight Rochester (HFR) will welcome home 59 veterans as part of Mission 54. This will be HFR’s third mission of 2017.

Among the ranks of veterans on Mission 54 roster are:

• 35 Korean War
• 11 World War II
• 4  Korean War/Cold War
• 3  World War II/Korea
• 3  Cold War
• 2  Vietnam War
• 1   Cold War/Vietnam War

These veterans served in the U.S. Army (33), the U.S. Navy (10), the U.S. Air Force (7), the U.S. Marines (5), the U.S. Army Air Corps (3), and the U.S. Coast Guard (1).

The two-day HFR trip to Washington D.C. to visit the nation’s memorials is free to all honored veterans.  Flights are possible through community gifts and contributions. Veterans are encouraged to register for their honor flight at honorflightrochester.org.  Paper applications are also available.

DEPARTURE DATE: Saturday, June 17 – Honor Flight Rochester Mission 54 departs the Greater Rochester International Airport at 6:25 a.m. The veterans and their guardians arrive at 4 a.m.

RETURN DATE: Sunday, June 18, 2017

FLIGHT: Southwest Airlines Flight #2973

RETURN FLIGHT ARRIVAL TIME: 12:40 p.m.

PUBLIC WELCOME CELEBRATION: Approximately 1:10 p.m. after all veterans disembark the plane

WHERE: Greater Rochester International Airport

EMCEE: Adam Chodak, Anchor and Managing Editor, WROC-TV 8

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Mike Giardino, Director of Aviation, Greater Rochester International Airport and retired  U.S. Navy Commander

NATIONAL ANTHEM: Pete Dupre

COLOR GUARD: Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 20

MUSIC: Fairport Fire Department

HONOR GUARD: Patriot Guard Riders (pgrny.org).

Honor Flight Rochester (www.honorflightrochester.org) – one of 135 established hubs in 42 states the national Honor Flight Network – is a not-for-profit, fully-volunteer organization with a goal of taking every World War II, Korean War, or Vietnam War veteran from the Greater Rochester area who otherwise would or could not go, to visit and reflect together at Washington D.C. Memorials built in their honor. The two-day HFR trip is free to all World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and veterans who served during the years 1947 – 1964 (“Cold War”). It’s also open to veterans of any era who suffer a catastrophic illness. Rochester’s flying season is April to October. To date, 2,531 veterans have now flown from the Greater Rochester area since the local organization began full-scale flights in early 2009.

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Harmonica Pete Tunes Up To Throw Out First Pitch at a Nationals Game:

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/2017/05/26/harmonica-pete-tunes-up-arm-1st-pitch-nationals-game/348736001/

Veteran John Foy explains the importance of Memorial Day:

http://www.whec.com/news/veterans-john-foy-memorial-day-importance/4498571/

This is why we do what we do in Honor Flight.  Thanks to Bruce P. for passing this along.

Click on the link below for a YouTube video called:  Just A Common Soldier

Just A Common Soldier

Please honor and give thanks to our veterans this Memorial Day.

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Honor Flight Rochester (HFR) Mission 53 Departs From Rochester on Saturday May 13 with 55 veterans

HFR will welcome home our 55 Mission 53 veterans to Rochester this Sunday, May 14. This HFR’s second mission of 2017.

The men and women veterans on Mission 53 served our nation in such conflicts as World War II, the Korean War (1950-53), and the Vietnam War. Some saw service during the Cold War period. Some served through more than one conflict. They wore the uniforms of the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Marines, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The two-day HFR trip to Washington D.C. to visit the nation’s memorials is free to all honored veterans. Flights are possible through community gifts and contributions. Veterans are encouraged to register for their honor flight at honorflightrochester.org. Paper applications are also available at various town halls.

DEPARTURE DATE: Saturday, May 13, – Honor Flight Rochester Mission 53 departs the Greater Rochester International Airport at 6 a.m. The veterans and their guardians arrive at 4 a.m.

RETURN DATE: Sunday, May 14, 2017

RETURN FLIGHT: Southwest Airlines Flight #6277

SCHEDULE RETURN FLIGHT ARRIVAL TIME: 12:15 p.m.

PUBLIC WELCOME CELEBRATION: Approximately 12:40 p.m. after all veterans disembark the plane

WHERE: Greater Rochester International Airport

EMCEE: Maureen McGuire, WROC-TV 8

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Speaker Rich Stewart, President Honor Flight Rochester.

COLOR GUARD: U.S. Navy Reserve.

MUSIC: Pittsford Volunteer Fire Department. LumenEssence (U.S. anthem).

HONOR GUARD: Patriot Guard Riders (pgrny.org).

Honor Flight Rochester (www.honorflightrochester.org) – one of 135 established hubs in 42 states the national Honor Flight Network – is a not-for-profit, fully-volunteer organization with a goal of taking every World War II, Korean War, or Vietnam War veteran from the Greater Rochester area who otherwise would or could not go, to visit and reflect together at Washington D.C. Memorials built in their honor. The two-day HFR trip is free to all World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and veterans who served during the years 1947 – 1964 (“Cold War”). It’s also open to veterans of any era who suffer a catastrophic illness. Rochester’s flying season is April to October. To date, 2,477 veterans have now flown from the Greater Rochester area since the local organization began full-scale flights in early 2009.

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Click On the Link Below to Open the April 2017 HRF Newsletter:

HFR Newsletter April 2017

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Honor Flight Rochester Welcomes Home First Mission of 2017

Mission 52 departs Saturday April 8 and returns Sunday April 9 with 45 veterans

On Sunday, April 9, Honor Flight Rochester (HFR) will welcome home 45 veterans as part of Mission 52. This will be HFR’s first mission of 2017.

Among the ranks of the 45 veterans on the Mission 52 roster are two who served in more than one era:

• 28  Korean War
• 14 World War II
• 2 Korean War/ Cold War / Vietnam
• 1 Vietnam War

These veterans served in the U.S. Army (21), the U.S. Navy (15), the U.S. Army Air Corps (5), Army/Navy (1), the U.S. Air Force (2), and the U.S. Marines (1).

The two-day HFR trip to Washington D.C. to visit the nation’s memorials is free to all honored veterans.  Flights are possible through community gifts and contributions. Veterans are encouraged to register for their honor flight at honorflightrochester.org.  Paper applications are also available.

DEPARTURE:  Saturday, April 8, 2017. The veterans and their guardians arrive at Rochester International Airport at 4 a.m. Honor Flight Rochester Mission 52 departs at 6:10 a.m on Southwest Airlines Flight 2655.

RETURN DATE: Sunday, April 9, 2017

RETURN FLIGHT: Southwest Airlines Flight #6277

SCHEDULE FLIGHT ARRIVAL TIME: 12:10 p.m.

PUBLIC WELCOME CELEBRATION: Approximately 12:40 p.m. after all veterans disembark the plane

WHERE: Greater Rochester International Airport

EMCEE: Don Alhart, 13WHAM TV News Anchor

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: New York State Senator Joseph Robach

COLOR GUARD: Navy Reserve

MUSIC: C.A. Palmer Fife and Drum Corps

HONOR GUARD: Patriot Guard Riders (pgrny.org).

Honor Flight Rochester (www.honorflightrochester.org) – one of 135 established hubs in 42 states the national Honor Flight Network – is a not-for-profit, fully-volunteer organization with a goal of taking every World War II, Korean War, or Vietnam War veteran from the Greater Rochester area who otherwise would or could not go, to visit and reflect together at Washington D.C. Memorials built in their honor.  The two-day HFR trip is free to all World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and veterans who served during the years 1947 – 1964 (“Cold War”). It’s also open to veterans of any era who suffer a catastrophic illness. Rochester’s flying season is April to October. To date, 2,434 veterans have now flown from the Greater Rochester area since the local organization began full-scale flights in early 2009.

Here is a link to the 13 WHAM special on Honor Flight Rochester special originally aired on Wednesday April 6, 2017.

http://13wham.com/news/special-reports/honor-flight-special-report

Click on the link below to read an article that appeared in the Saturday (1/28) D&C:

This page also includes video’s to Pete’s playing the national anthem at an Amerks game and his playing America the Beautiful at Pearl Harbor.

93-year-old WWII vet strikes patriotic chord with his harmonica

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2017/01/27/harmonica-pete-wwii-veteran-united-states-military-greatest-generation/97087598/