Mission Details

• DEPARTURE: Saturday, June 13, 2026 — Southwest Airlines, departs at 6:05 AM from Rochester International Airport
• WELCOME HOME: Sunday, June 14, 2026
• AIRPORT CELEBRATION: Between 12:15 to 2:30 PM, after the veterans have disembarked from the plane.
• FLIGHT INFO: Arrival, 11:55 AM Sunday, June 14 on Southwest Flight #1079 at International Rochester Airport

Welcome Home Lineup

• EMCEE: Maureen McGuire, Retired News Anchor, Channel 8 WROC News CBS
• KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Colonel Lisa Lehning, U.S. Army, retired
• ANTHEM SINGER: Anders Namestnik, soloist
• BAND: Gates Keystone Club Police Pipes
• COLOR GUARD: Chili Lady Liberties

June 9, 2026                                                         

Media and Public Relations Coordinator     

“We Leave No Veteran Behind”  

Honor Flight Rochester (HFR) is pleased to announce that Mission 96 will fly the weekend of June 13^th-14^th.  This will be the third and final mission for the spring season of 2026, with continue flights planned for the fall.

HFR Missions provide local veterans with what has been described as the “Trip of a Lifetime.” Veteran applications never expire.  Their position on the flight advances with each flown mission.  Fifty-nine veterans will fly on Mission 96 including: 2 Korean War veterans, 6 Cold War veterans, 11 Cold War/Vietnam veterans, 39 Vietnam veterans, 1 Post 1975 era veteran.  Their branches of service are: 7 Air Force, 25 Army, 9 Marines, 18 Navy.

Recently, a Vietnam veteran thanked Honor Flight and said, “the war is over for me now.”  This speaks to the power of an Honor Flight Mission.  HFR is quickly approaching 5000 veterans having flown out of the Rochester hub funded entirely through the generosity of our community including individuals, organizations, corporations, hundreds of volunteers and testamentary bequests.