“We are enabling veterans to go back to Washington, D.C., to see the national memorials built in their honor,” said Al Bailey, president of Honor Flight Dayton.
Saturday’s chartered flight will depart from Dayton International Airport with a group of 102 veterans, including a 100-year-old veteran who served in WWII, Bailey said.
After spending the day in Washington, D.C., the flight will return to Dayton’s airport Saturday night, where vets will be greeted by a large group of people welcoming them home and thanking them for their service. Bailey said it’s this reception that makes Honor Flights so special and memorable for participants.
“There will be close to 1,500 to 2,000 people at the airport to greet us when we come back—these folks are strangers and family members thanking the veterans for their service decades ago,” Bailey said. “Many of the veterans have said this is probably the most important day of their life.”
Bailey said these trips also allow veterans an opportunity to heal and to reflect on past experiences throughout their time in the service, which often includes unresolved trauma and emotions.
“A big part of this is the interaction with other vets and letting go of some of those things that they’ve kept down inside them for a long time, things that they’ve never talked to their family members about,” he said. “We strongly encourage them to now open up and let their family know what they’ve been through. Families often don’t know how to ask questions about it because some vets are silent on that part of their life, but now is the time to tell them before it’s too late.”
Bailey encourages community members to join in for the ceremony at the airport Saturday evening to welcome participants back home. The plane of veterans is set to return around 9 p.m. Visitors should arrive early and can park in the parking garage directly across from the terminal, Bailey said.
Bailey also encourages veterans of WWII, Korean era, and Vietnam era wars to sign up for an Honor Flight if they are interested by calling 937-322-4448 or visiting honorflightdayton.org. Honor Flight Dayton representatives are available to assist with the application process.
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