Honor Flight to Washington, DC celebrates service of RI Veterans
Well before dawn on Thursday, a group of senior citizens will begin assembling at a parking lot on Niantic Avenue in Providence. By 5:15 a.m. they will be aboard buses en route to T.F. Green International Airport.
These men and women are veterans who will be flying to Washington as Honor Flight participants. This is the 27th Honor Flight group organized by the R.I. Fire Chiefs since being recognized as a “Hub” of the national Honor Flight Network in August 2012. The Hub is an organization whose mission is to “transport America’s veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit those memorials built to honor their service and sacrifice.”
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Retired Providence Fire Chief George Farrell heads up the Rhode Island program. “Since 2012 we have organized 26 Honor Flights to Washington,” Farrell told me. “To date we’ve taken 521 WW II veterans, 155 Korean War veterans and 35 Vietnam War veterans, along with a family member or friend, to visit their memorials.
“We’ve also transported dozens of other veterans from Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflicts, and, thanks to our generous sponsors, these trips are completely free of any charge to the veterans.”
Any veteran of any war is eligible to participate
Any veteran who has served in the U.S. military (including the Reserves and National Guard) is eligible for an Honor Flight trip. Combat service or foreign deployment is not required.
Top priority is given to World War II veterans, and to any veteran with a terminal illness who wishes to visit his or her memorial.
The next priority is veterans who served between WWI and the Korean War, followed by the Korean War, and so on, in chronological order of conflicts.
The national organization describes its mission as “helping every single veteran in America, willing and able to get on a plane or a bus, visit his/her memorial.”
Vietnam Vets sought for future flights
The organizers were aware from the beginning that the march of time would necessitate a change in the target audience.
“As our pool of World War II and Korea vets dwindles, we are now looking to serve the Vietnam community,” said Farrell.
“When we started, we restricted participation to World War II vets, and then Korean War vets,” he continued. “Until recently, only those Vietnam vets with serious medical conditions were accepted.”
For a number of reasons, mostly related to the way they were treated when they came home, Vietnam veterans are harder to reach than their WWII or Korean counterparts. Most did not join traditional veteran service organizations such as the American Legion or the VFW — but much of the recruitment for Honor Flights in the past 10 years has been through those groups.
There also seems to be a perception among the Vietnam community that you have to be invited to go on an Honor Flight, or be nominated for inclusion by some higher power.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” Farrell insists. “Anyone who served in the U.S. military is eligible to go; all they have to do is download a form from our website and send it in.”
The website address is www.rihonorflight.com
“And if you don’t have a computer, or are not tech savvy, just give our office a call at 401-354-7909 and we will walk you through it,” said Farrell.
“Going on an honor flight might help give Vietnam vets a little of that recognition they deserve and a proper welcome home.”
History of Honor Flight
The Honor Flight concept began in Ohio in 2005, started by Jeff Miller and Earl Morse. Morse was a physician’s assistant. Making conversation with one of his patients who was a WWII vet, Morse asked about the WWII Memorial that had been dedicated the previous year.
“Think you’ll go see it?” Morse asked. “No chance,” the man replied softly. “I’m too old, and I have no way to get there.”
It dawned on Morse that many of the veterans this memorial was designed to honor were already too infirm for a car or bus ride, and many could not afford the cost of a flight.
On impulse, Morse said he was renting a private plane to visit Washington. Did his patient want to come?
“I was prepared for him to demur, or say he had to check with his family,” said Morse in a 2005 interview. “I was not ready for him to start crying.”
So in May 2005, seven private planes, carrying 12 WWII veterans from Ohio, took off for Washington, and the Honor Flight concept was born.
There are now some 140 Honor Flight programs in 44 states.
From 2019: R.I.'s first female Honor Flight
Launch of the RI program
George Farrell served more than 30 years in the Providence Fire Department, working his way up through the ranks from firefighter and eventually serving as chief from 2007 until his retirement in 2011.
“My wife and I saw an Honor Flight at BWI airport in 2010,” Farrell related. “I was moved by the experience and thought the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs would make great sponsors of a Rhode Island program.
“Elderly people and those with infirmities are particularly comforted by the fact that the fire department is making their arrangements. They know we are medically trained and this makes it easier for them to decide to go.”
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Thursday’s trip — Honor Flight Thunderbolt
There will be 42 veterans this time, each traveling with a companion or “guardian,” someone to look after their individual needs for the day.
As the veterans and their guardians debark their buses and enter the terminal for their early morning flight, they will pass between two long lines of dignitaries, fire chiefs and senior military brass. Honor guards from all over the state — police departments, fire departments and military units — will salute as they enter.
Pipes and drums will begin to play as the travelers prepare for their Southwest Airlines flight.
“We work with TSA to get the bagpipers through security, and our veterans are piped all the way to their gate,” said Chief Farrell.
After landing in Washington, the veterans can expect a welcome similar to their sendoff. Airport fire trucks will render a “water cannon salute”, with arcs of water greeting the plane as it arrives.
Time permitting, this group will move to the Iwo Jima and Air Force memorials first, giving Marines and Air Force veterans the opportunity to visit their memorials. A police motorcade will then escort them into Arlington Memorial Cemetery, where they will witness the Changing of the Guard. Immediately thereafter, two of the oldest veterans will be selected to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
“We don’t always get to do that,” said Farrell. “But after booking a trip date my first call is to Arlington, to get a reservation for our group.”
Farrell recalls the stunned reaction of one WWII vet who was chosen to place a wreath. “That’s what presidents get to do,” the old soldier said in awe.
“This will be my 27th group, and I get just as worked up every time,” said Farrell. “No matter how much I try to describe it, words simply do not capture the emotions of the experience. Until you’ve been on one of these Honor Flights, you have no idea.”
While the order of visitation may vary, the itinerary includes stops at the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial with its famous Wall and the Lincoln Memorial.
By then it’s late afternoon, and the group will head for dinner at a hotel close to Baltimore-Washington Airport, giving everyone a good meal and the chance to relax after a very full day. At dinner the Honor Flight organization arranges “mail call” for each veteran, which includes photos of themselves from their military days as well as letters of congratulation and support from relatives and friends.
The flight home will land at about 10 p.m., and while the “Welcome Home” party will be smaller than their sendoff earlier in the day it will be just as enthusiastic.
Farrell’s hopes for the future
“We will be continuing our flights in 2023 and beyond, and we especially want to let Vietnam vets know that they are welcome,” said Farrell. “I encourage them to submit an application.
“We believe every vet is special and we want to go above and beyond to prove it.
“This is my passion,” he said vehemently. “Outside my family this is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
Any U.S. military veteran may apply to participate in an Honor Flight. Please visit www.rihonorflight.com to download an application form or call (401) 354-7909.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Steel Yard’s Fabrication Nights will run Wednesday and Friday nights, 6-9 p.m. through October; at 27 Sims Ave., Providence. Help make art for their annual Halloween Iron Pour.
Come build larger-than-life props for a breathtaking spectacle of iron, and learn useful skills in the process. No experience necessary.
Wear work clothes, closed toed shoes and gloves. Bring a water bottle and snack. Be prepared to get your hands dirty and make something truly impressive.
For details call (401) 273-7101 or visit www.thesteelyard.org
CALENDAR
Monday, Oct. 17, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) will have a Claims Representative present at the Providence Vet Center to assist you with filing a Service Connection Claim. If you want to meet with the VBA Representative, please schedule an appointment online at https://vets.force.com/VAVERA.
When selecting the location, please select the “Warwick Vet Center” (Zip code: 02889). Walk-ins are welcome, but you may experience a wait as slots are filling up quickly.
Thursday, Nov. 3, 5-7 p.m.: Veteran Voices Town Hall Series; the VA Providence Healthcare System announces the next in its VIRTUAL Town Hall Meeting series, using Microsoft TEAMS. Guest Speaker: Marine Corps veteran Mr. Mark Ebenhoch, military technical adviser to Hollywood. He has worked on "Platoon," "Born on the 4th of July," "Tropic Thunder" and more. Each Town Hall is followed by a Q&A with VA Providence Healthcare System leadership to make sure your veteran voice is heard. Email providenceveteranstownhall@va.gov for a meeting invitation. Or call in (audio only) 872-701-0185 Phone Conference ID: 475 391 048#
Every Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Art Expression Group offered by the Providence Vet Center, 2038 Warwick Ave., Warwick 02889. Vet Center eligibility required; artistic talent not required. Service members and veterans, test your skills with a paintbrush. Free instruction provided by professionals. Email Heather Tarducci at Heather.Tarducci@va.gov or call (401) 739-0167.
To report the outcome of a previous activity, or to add a future event to our calendar, please email the details (including a contact name and phone number/email address) to veteranscolumn@providencejournal.com
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI Honor Flight to WWII Memorials. Vietnam Vets sought for future trips
