Honor Flight Rochester to Fly Last Mission of 2016 Oct. 22-23
Mission 51 includes 56 veterans from WWII, Korean War, Cold War and the Vietnam War
On Sunday, Oct. 23, Honor Flight Rochester (HFR) will welcome home 56 veterans from the Greater Rochester area as part of Mission 51. This will be HFR’s last mission of 2016. In eight years, HFR has flown 2,378 veterans to Washington, D.C.
Among the ranks of the 56 veterans on the Mission 51 roster are two who served in more than one era:
- 39 Korean War
- 12 World War II
- 3 Cold War
- 1 Korean War/ Cold War
- 1 Cold War / Vietnam War
These veterans served in the U.S. Army (31), the U.S. Navy (12), the U.S. Air Force (10), the U.S. Coast Guard (1), the U.S. Army/U.S. Air Force (1), and the U.S. Army Air Corps (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.
DATE: Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016
PUBLIC WELCOME CELEBRATION: Approximately 11:55 a.m. after all veterans have deboarded the plane
FLIGHT: Southwest Airlines Flight #324
SCHEDULE FLIGHT ARRIVAL TIME: 11:25 a.m.
WHERE: Greater Rochester International Airport
EMCEE: Rebecca Leclair, News10NBC
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Chief Petty Officer Lee Begy
COLOR GUARD: Dog One Infantry
MUSIC: Prime Time Brass
HONOR GUARD: Patriot Guard Riders (pgrny.org).
DEPARTURE: Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016 – Honor Flight Rochester Mission 51 departs the Greater Rochester International Airport at 6:00 a.m. The veterans and their guardians begin arriving at 4 a.m.
Honor Flight Rochester (honorflightrochester.org) – one of 135 established hubs in 42 states as part of 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, 2,378 veterans have now flown from the Greater Rochester area since the local organization began full-scale flights in early 2009.
View our past Mission photos at: www.honorflightrochester.shutterfly.com
