May 4th flight commemorates nonprofit’s “over 2,000 veterans flown” milestone
Honor Flight Long Island, the iconic volunteer-run veterans organization, is proud to announce that our Spring Flight to Washington, D.C. is scheduled for Saturday, May 4, 2024. This flight will take 46 veterans to visit their military memorials, meet with service branch representatives, commiserate with fellow veterans and exchange stories. Honor Flight’s mission is to honor fellow Long Islanders who served in the United States Armed Forces to preserve our freedoms, by providing free, one-day trips so they can visit their D.C. memorials.
In 2005, the first Honor Flight organization was inaugurated by legendary co-founders Earl Morse and Jeff Miller. Since its humble start, over 130 Honor Flight “hubs” have been organized in various states. All told, these hubs have flown over 250,000 veterans to visit their military memorials in Washington, D.C. The late Chris Cosich, of Amagansett, started his own Honor Flight Long Island hub in 2007. With this May 4th flight, Honor Flight Long Island (HFLI) has escorted over 2,000 Long Island veterans to D.C.
According to Bill Jones, HFLI President, this historic flight represents the nonprofit and all volunteer-run organization’s “Over 2,000 veterans Flown” milestone. “This special milestone flight includes 41 Vietnam War veterans who will receive long overdue recognition and thanks for their service,” Jones said. “They’ll be accompanied by 5 Korean War veterans. What this flight really represents is a ‘Big Hug’ to all veterans from Honor Flight, their families and supporters, who make such flights possible,” Jones said. He added that newly elected Southampton Supervisor Maria Moore will serve on this flight as a guardian. “We’re proud she’s on board. The Town has supported HFLI since its beginning, getting us off the ground and ensuring our success. HFLI will be forever grateful for Southampton’s support,” Jones added.
Thanks to HFLI, these 46 veterans will take a free, early-morning Southwest flight to Washington, D.C. Departing from Islip MacArthur Airport at 6:00 a.m., veterans and their guardians will visit World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War Memorials, Arlington National Cemetery for a Changing of the Guard, plus a Washington, D.C. bus tour. They’ll return to Islip that evening at 10:55 p.m., for a rousing welcome by the Nassau County Fire Fighters Pipe and Drum Band, plus thunderous applause from hundreds of family, friends and supporters!
Next up is the veterans Reunion on Saturday, August 3, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale, when HFLI will present each May 4th Veteran with personalized Tribute Journals full of photographs of their day in D.C. In addition, each Veteran will receive a special memento commemorating this history-making achievement. Our great patriotic reunions are always free and open to the public. So, join us as we honor our home-grown heroes!
Veterans! Get on our waiting list for future Honor Flights to Washington, D.C., by visiting www.honorflightlongisland.org and submitting an application. You’ll fly for free, thanks to donations from across Long Island. You’ll be accompanied by Guardians, able-bodied volunteers who donate $400 (tax deductible) to offset travel costs. Honor Flight has a cohort of volunteers ready to step up for the privilege of escorting our heroes to D.C. Any questions? Please call Jamie Bowden at (631) 702-2423 or email at JBowden@southamptontownny.gov
About the American Airpower Museum
The mission of the American Airpower Museum is the preservation of aviation, and military history to educate the public, and the next generation of Americans about the courage, valor, sacrifice, and heroism of our nation’s veterans, aviation pioneers, and aviation industry workers of the arsenal of democracy. We accomplish this mission by preserving, displaying, and flying, operational and static examples of our nation’s legendary Airpower and ground vehicles in our collection as well as through our related displays, exhibits and event programs. We strive to create an experience at our museum that will educate, and inspire future generations in the subjects of aviation, engineering, math, science, and history.
—Submitted by Robert Salant for the American Airpower Museum
