An Honor Flight takes off from Peoria International Airport early Tuesday morning. 22 World War II veterans, 37 from the Korean War and seven terminally ill Vietnam Vets are making the journey to the Memorial in Washington D.C.
Each veteran makes the trip with a friend or family guardian and the flight includes a mail roll call with letters from loved ones.
Phyllis Piraino is a coordinator of the Honor Flight. She says they’re asking people to be at the airport for the return flight:
“The general public is welcome to come at night time for our welcome home. The veterans will arrives at about 9:30 p.m. Our shuttle buses will start at 8p.m. from the CEFCU parking lot out by the airport.”
Piraino says they hope to pack the airport with more than 2,000 people. The veterans do not know there’s a community welcome home event.
There are additional flights planned for June and September. The Honor Flights are free for the veterans of World War II, the Korean War and those vets who are terminally ill.