More than 70 Central Coast veterans fly to Washington, D.C., in biggest Honor Flight ever

More than 70 veterans spanning from World War II to the Vietnam War took off Monday morning for a whirlwind tour of memorials in Washington, D.C.

Honor Flight of the Central Coast marked its first-ever charter flight, its largest group and its first departure from Santa Maria Public Airport since the program began 10 years ago.

“This is exciting for Santa Maria, because now we’re tripling the number of vets we can take at one time,” said Jay Conner, a Central Coast Honor Flight board member. “It’s just an amazing group.”

Veterans climbed aboard the Allegiant Air charter flight after 10 a.m. Monday for the trek to the East Coast, with the aircraft departing after the Santa Maria Fire Department provided a dramatic water cannon over the plane.

This week’s mission marked the inaugural use of a charter flight, meaning the group will travel directly to Baltimore, Maryland, avoiding any delays involved in having to transfer planes.

This was the program’s first time at the Santa Maria airport after previous Central Coast Honor Flights left from and returned to San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport.

“Everybody’s been phenomenal at the airport,” Conner said of the Santa Maria airport’s personnel. “They’re excited about it.”

The Tour of Honor group includes two World War II veterans, four from the Korean War and 68 from the Vietnam War. Some of the guardians acting as escorts also had served in the military.

The Santa Maria Elks Lodge hosted Honor Flight veterans and guardians earlier this month at a preflight luncheon.

Previously, those luncheons numbered 50, but for this trip they hosted more than 250 people.

While they needed one bus for prior Honor Flight trips, they will have three buses this time.

“Everything is three times as many,” Conner said.

After spending Monday night in Baltimore, the group will begin tours of various memorials built as a tribute to their service through the years.

While veterans fly for free, escorts and guardians, who normally are younger family members or friends, pay approximately $1,500.

“They’re giving that veteran the honor to be their guardian,” said Conner, who helps veterans by pushing wheelchairs or providing other assistance as needed.

“You’re helping escort the veteran because it’s their event. It’s their tour,” Conner said.

After pausing Honor Flight missions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Conner said the larger aircraft will allow the organization to make its way through the waiting list.

Central Coast Honor Flight plans another trip this fall, but the dates had not been set as of Monday.

“The most important thing that I can tell anybody that wants to go on it is to go on HonorFlightCC.org and fill out an application, because if we don’t know you want to go, you’re not going to go,” Conner said.

“You’ve got to fill out the application to get on the list.”

Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com.