Honor Flights taking 47 WWII veterans to D.C.
Honor Flights of Eastern and Portland Oregon will honor 47 more WWII Veterans during a trip to Washington, DC, Sept. 19-23. The veterans will visit their national WWII Memorial free of charge in appreciation for their service and sacrifice preserving our freedoms more than seven decades ago.
During this four-day trip, the veterans will be honored by Oregon’s Congressional delegation, tour the US Capitol, and visit the WWII, FDR, Lincoln, Korean War, Vietnam War, Navy, Air Force and Iwo Jima Memorials, Women in Military Service for America Museum, National Air & Space Museum, and view Changing of the Guard and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.
The group includes 38 veterans from Eastern Oregon, 9 veterans from the Portland area and 52 guardians and trip leaders from both service areas assisting the veterans. The trip will be led by Mike and Cindy Jensen and Erik Tobiason.
The 99-person group, our largest to date will be flying on Alaska Airlines new non-stop service from Portland (PDX) to Washington/Reagan Airport (DCA) serving Washington, DC. This will be the largest Honor Flight from Oregon to date traveling on Alaska Airlines new non-stop flights.
The group will assemble at the nearby Shilo Inns Wednesday by 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 19 and be treated to a grand reception and dinner and overnight accommodations donated by Shilo Inns owner Mark Hemstreet.
The group departs Shilo Inns beginning at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20 for a 9:30 a.m. departure on Alaska Airlines Flight 764 after an inspirational welcome at the airport by local first responders and a grand welcome and send off at the departure gate by Alaska Airlines. They return to a heroes welcome at PDX Sunday evening at 7:55 p.m. on Alaska Airlines Flight 765.
These Honor Flight programs covering Eastern Oregon and the Portland area are managed by the Bend Heroes Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization located in Bend, OR: www.bendheroes.org.
With completion of the September trip, the Foundation will have honored 206 WWII Veterans from both service areas over the last 2 years. The Foundation is one of 110 groups throughout our nation participating in the national Honor Flight Network. They will have honored almost 100,000 WWII Veterans by end of 2012.
Major sponsors of this trip are: Shilo Inns Suites Hotels, BNSF Railway, Les Schwab Tires, and Umatilla Electric Cooperative. We are successful because of their dedication to honoring the Greatest Generation. Time is of the essence to honor the Greatest Generation.
Those not part of our group and wanting to attend the send off at the Alaska Airlines gate should contact Susan Hangartner, Portland Port Authority (503-415-6153) to get escort through TSA.
Contact: Dick Tobiason, President, Bend Heroes Foundation: dtobiason@bendcable.com, 541 388-5591, cell: 541 390-9932
