As veterans prepare to embark on the Honor Flight, servicemen, family, friends, trip coordinators, guardians and community members from all around the Central Valley gather at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport. The journey is more than just a trip, it is a heartfelt tribute to the service and resilience of those who served our country.
The sounds of bagpipes usher the veterans to the 29th Central Valley Honor Flight with a grand serenade. Each salute, handshake and tear-streaked smile speaks volumes as they either walk or roll in a wheelchair to visit the monuments of the nation they defended long ago. Veterans who are hard to miss in their bright red CV Honor Flight jackets, journey through the trip with a deep appreciation and reverence.
Fresno Christian Schools has the privilege of raising money for the CVHF organization, which is made possible by donations, for the 39th Annual Homecoming, Oct. 7-11, 2024. Fresno Christian high school students voted between multiple organizations to raise money for, and Honor Flight came out on top.
Junior princess candidate Kennedy Schwab is proud to support Honor Flight. Schwab believes in honoring the men and women who served.
“Honor Flight provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for veterans to receive the honor they deserve,” Schwab said. “I think it is important for the FCS community to come together and donate to show respect for a worthy cause and to give back a small portion to those who gave everything for our country.”
The History of Honor Flight
Co-founded in 2005 by Jeff Miller and Earl Morse, Honor Flight has taken 300,000 nationwide veterans to see the Washington memorials dedicated to their sacrifices during the war. They currently have 44,318 veterans on the waitlist. With the building of the WWII memorial being finished in 2004, Miller and Morse knew that sending the veterans to see it was crucial. With most veterans being in their mid to late 80s, it was important to get them there as fast as possible. With that, Honor Flight was born.
Since 2005, Honor Flight has expanded and has taken thousands of Vietnam and Korean War veterans to DC. Veteran Leonard Heinrichs was very grateful to the Honor Flight organization.
“Honor Flight made me feel extremely important, beyond what I can express in words,” Heinrichs said.
Honor Flight is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with 129 active hubs across the United States. Honor Flight is committed to honoring WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans. One of the most active hubs out of the 129, is the California Central Valley.
The Central Valley Honor Flight escorts veterans from Tulare to Stockton, including Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Northern Tulare County and Tuolumne Counties. The hub was established in 2013, and has escorted over 1,800 servicemen cost-free over the course of 29 trips.
Paul Loeffler, who founded the Central Valley Honor Flight, tells the story of how two women, whose husbands had been on another flight, urged him to start a Central Valley hub. Unfortunately at that time, there was not enough money to kickstart CVHF. The thought never left Loeffler’s mind and he leaned on his faith to move him in the right direction.
“I remember taking a walk and praying ‘God if this is your will, bring it together in your way and your timing,” Loeffler said.
A year later, the right door opened. EECU reached out to Loeffler, mentioning that they wanted to support a veterans charity. With help from the Central Valley Community Foundation, a plan was put in motion, but they were still looking for the right leader until former Veterans Administration Hospital Director Al Perry called. Perry had retired just in time to be the missing piece of the puzzle. His expertise jump started the Central Valley Honor Flight and the volunteer-team has been growing ever since.
The Trip of a Lifetime and the Impact
The three-day, action-packed excursion starts promptly at 5:30 a.m at Fresno Yosemite International Airport. As the veterans are preparing to board the plane, many are overcome with nerves. For some veterans, this trip requires reliving the hardest times of their lives. A few veterans admit to attending therapy for months in advance to prepare for the moment of boarding the Honor Flight plane. Most veterans feel as though they do not deserve to go. After mustering up the bravery, as they did many years ago, the veterans are off to Washington, D.C.
The Honor Flight is met in Baltimore, Maryland by a volunteer motorcade that escorts three coach buses to the American Legion Post 276 for a warm home-cooked meal. “Motorcade Keith” has been coordinating the escort for 17 years.
“It is something we always enjoy doing. We escort about 45-50 Honor Flights a year,” Keith said. “Over the years I have met some very interesting people, such as one of the veterans who put the first flag up on Mt. Suribachi in Iwo Jima.”
Cold War and Vietnam War veteran Mike Betterton experienced the motorcade welcome many years ago.
“That Honor Flight welcome we received in the Baltimore Airport did more good for me than ten years of therapy,” Betterton said.
After a good night’s rest, the veterans are off to explore Washington.
Video narrated by Kori James
Sample Itinerary below:
Day 1:
- US Capitol
- WWII Memorial
- Navy Memorial
- US Marine Memorial
- Air Force Memorial
- National Museum of the US Army
Day 2
- Arlington National Cemetery
- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- Military Women’s Memorial
- Korean War Memorial
- Vietnam war Memorial
Each veteran is carefully matched up with a guardian. Honor Flight guardians can be family members or people of pure intentions. Guardians are tasked with making their veteran feel secure and comfortable throughout the trip. This can look like getting them a glass of water or listening for hours about their veterans’ time of service.
Honor Flight tries their hardest to take side trips that have a special meaning for individual veterans. On CVHF 29, one veteran was taken aside and brought to the National Japanese American Memorial because his family was interned during WWII. This was an amazing opportunity to make the trip even more meaningful for that veteran.
Another side trip on CVHF 29 included going to honor five servicewomen at the Military Women’s Memorial. A special ceremony was held where each woman was presented with service portfolios.
The impact of the flight is undeniable for the veterans. Many veterans have never spoken about their experiences in the war until they go on the flight. A daughter of a WWII veteran said she had never heard her father talk about the war until he went on the Honor Flight. The experience is deeply emotional, and oftentimes provides closure and recognition that many did not receive.
When the veterans make their way home from the trip, they receive the “welcome home” they never received. More than 400 Central Valley community members gather at Fresno Yosemite International Airport to cheer on the veterans as they arrive. The Blue Star Mothers of America hand out American flags to every person in attendance. Families bring all kinds of “welcome home” signs that light up the room.
Tension is high as everyone awaits the arrival of the Honor Flight. Then, people hear the bagpipes start and look eagerly down the hall to see the veterans. The Clovis Community Band plays patriotic music with the enthusiasm the veterans should have received years ago.
When the first veteran appears, tears of national pride roll down people’s faces. The crowd erupts in applause, welcoming all the veterans home properly. Everyone cheers as loud for the first veteran as they do the last.
The Volunteer Side
The Honor Flight organization prides itself on being an all-volunteer group. Everyone involved, including the guardians and trip organizers, participate out of compassion. Volunteers work tirelessly behind the scenes, not for acknowledgement, but to ensure that each veteran feels honored and cared for during their journey.
Volunteers sacrifice their time, personal commitments and energy to ensure the veterans are put on the highest pedestal during their trip. Many even give up their vacation days to attend the trips. One guardian, who is a firefighter, does not use a single one of his personal days for himself. Instead he dedicates that time to attend the Honor Flights.
Volunteering for Honor Flight is guided by the desire to give back to those who have given so much. For many, it is a personal mission to honor the bravery and sacrifices of the veterans, to ensure that they feel celebrated.
Debbie Williams is a dedicated CVHF volunteer. Her main motive behind her volunteerism is her son Keith Williams, who was killed in Afghanistan. Williams has a stuffed bear, that was her sons, that she takes on all her Honor Flight travels and even overseas. She takes pictures of the bear at memorials all over the world.
“Keithers is quite the popular bear wherever I go,” Debbie Williams said. “I feel like it is my way of honoring other people’s loss through my loss.”
The Medical Side
Most veterans that attend the Honor Flight come with medical needs. Addressing the medical requirements of each veteran personally is extremely important to the medical team. This ensures the safety and comfort for each veteran before, during and after the trip.
The medical team contacts each individual veteran attending the trip to learn what kinds of medications they are taking in order to find out if further accommodations need to be arranged. After gathering the necessary information, the team divides the veterans up into groups based on the level of care they will need.
Each group will be assigned to a charter bus that will transport them the entire trip. There is the Gold Bus, Blue Bus and Red Bus. On each bus there will be a nurse who is responsible for the veterans. CVHF registered nurse Joyce Eden values getting to have cared for so many veterans during her 21 Honor Flight trips.
“I got involved with Honor Flight because my dad was a WWII veteran,” Eden said. “The way I look at life is that every trip I get to go on is a blessing.”
Honor Flight strives to include veterans who are on oxygen and even in hospice so they can experience the meaningful trip with dignity.
A licensed medical physician is with the Honor Flight the entire journey. In case of an emergency or a veteran forgetting their medication, Dr. Rick Geller MD is able to go to the local pharmacy to place a rush order on the medication needed and have it filled.
The Media Side
Media amplifies the voices and stories of veterans to a broader audience to ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten. Through television coverage, social media and local news outlets, the story of Honor Flight is powerful. Joining the 29th flight with a special last minute invitation, Feather Adviser Kori James was able to achieve her dream of going on the flight after seeing the movie in 2013.
“What a transformative experience this was for me, not only as a history teacher, a photographer and news adviser, but as an American,” James said. “How can you not be moved by the humility and the heart of these service men and woman who answered the call, who sacrificed for all us. Many of them felt unworthy of the honor this trip strived to achieve, and that broke my heart.”
Gene Day is Fresno’s “Mister Media” and commits time to running the media side of CVHF and has been a part of all but one of the flights.
“The Honor Flight media is not about telling sad war stories,” Day said. “It is about capturing the smile on the veterans face.”
CBS47 and KSEE24 sent reporter Katherine Phillips and videographer Kevin Mahan on the CVHF to give first-hand accounts of the goings-on during the trip. Unique to this flights media team was the addition of Univision 21 host Lupita Lomeli who was able to reach a large Spanish audience with daily news from the journey while helping translate for veterans on board.
The Financial Side
The approximate cost for one veteran to attend the 3-day trip is $1,500. All the costs are pre-paid for by generous donations. The only cost that a veteran would be responsible for would be souvenirs. The $1,500 covers:
- Round-trip airfare
- Two-night hotel stay at a first-class hotel
- All meals including a banquet and snacks
- Charter bus transportation everywhere during the trip
It takes a village to make the Central Valley Honor Flight happen, but the reward is immense. Veterans are able to experience the long-overdue tribute to their service. Fresno Christian Schools is eager about raising as much money as possible for Central Valley Honor Flight during the 39th Annual Homecoming, Oct. 7-11, 2024.
Each dollar is one dollar closer to sending a veteran to D.C. before it is too late. FCS has a live link for donations There will also be in-person donations at the Homecoming game at 6 p.m. Oct. 11, 2024.
To read more stories from the Veterans on board Central Valley Honor Flight #29, The Feather will be releasing a new story each day leading up the the big event. Please be sure to check daily for updates. If you are interested in being a guardian or signing up a veteran for an upcoming flight be sure to visit the CVHF home page.
To read more from The Feather visit, Fresno community gathers in remembrance of 9/11 or Science teacher looks to faith to shape her teaching
Bella Hess • Oct 11, 2024 at 12:32 pm
This is such a wonderful story! I am honored to be a part of fundraising this opportunity. Amazing job, Tabitha!
Inga Johns • Oct 2, 2024 at 9:30 pm
What a wonderful and moving story about these brave veterans. Thank you, for this thoughtful and important story. Great job, Tabitha and Kori and all of those played a part in contributing to this wonderful story.
Willow Gatlin • Oct 2, 2024 at 3:53 pm
Good job, Tabitha! Very well written
Hailey Higton • Oct 2, 2024 at 11:48 am
amazing job tabitha! this was such an enjoyable article to read!
Danielle Arndt • Oct 1, 2024 at 3:46 pm
Great work, Tabitha! This is a well-written and touching article, keep up the hard work.