Honor Flights salute Evanston veterans

American heroes return home to parade in the streets

Veterans honored for military service with emotional welcome at home

Evanston’s American Legion Post 42 held its 18th annual Honor Flight Chicago sendoff at the Levy Senior Center on Saturday, September 17. This year, 90 veterans representing World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War were escorted by 50 guardians on a day trip to Washington, D.C., to visit their memorials.

The veterans were greeted with cheers and applause as they arrived at O’Hare International Airport on Saturday morning. They were then escorted to the Levy Center, where they were given a breakfast, lunch and a send-off ceremony before boarding their flight to Washington, D.C.

The veterans visited the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. They were also given a tour of the National Mall and the Lincoln Memorial.

The veterans returned to O’Hare on Saturday evening, where they were greeted by a crowd of family, friends and supporters. They were then escorted to the Levy Center, where they were given a dinner and a welcome-home ceremony.

The Honor Flight program is a non-profit organization that provides free flights to veterans so they can visit their memorials in Washington, D.C. The program was founded in 2005 by Earl Morse, a retired Air Force captain. Since then, Honor Flight has flown more than 100,000 veterans to Washington, D.C.

The Honor Flight program is a wonderful way to honor our veterans for their service. It is a day that they will never forget.