3 Local WW II veterans take Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., April 5,2011
Early Tuesday morning, April 5, Three local World War II veterans along with two guardians with ties to Minonk, boarded a plane, chartered by Land of Lincoln Honor Flight. to visit monuments in Washington, D.C.
Emerson Bradbury, Melvin Matter, and Wayne Tucker were among 86 veterans who spent one day touring sites at the World War II Memorial, Air and Space Museum, Iwo Jima and Air Force Memorials, along with witnessing the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.
Since it began in 2009, Land of Lincoln Honor Flight has given more than 500 veterans a free flight to see the memorial as a way to say thank you for their military service. The organization not only picks up the tab for the veterans’ flight from Springfield and back, but all meals, beverages and incidentals along the way. Wheeled chairs are available for veterans who need them,. They are accompanied by trained guardians including Sandra Forney of Collinsville, IL and Larry Tucker of Poulsbo, WA, who were among 74 guardians who guided the men to and from sites throughout the day. Both Sandra and Larry grew up in the Minonk area and graduated from Minonk-Dana-Rutland High School. Larry is also a Navy Veteran.
On the evening before the flight, the veterans as well as guardians attended a banquet at the Springfield VFW Hall. This is a tradition before every Land of Lincoln honor flight to the nation’s capital. On the night of the flight, family and friends of the veterans gather at the Springfield Abe Lincoln Capital Airport for a Welcome Home Celebration honoring the group as they return home from their day of travel. A lot of the veterans have never had the opportunity to go out and see the memorial. Land of Lincoln Honor Flight provides the opportunity. Other veterans can apply to become members of a future flight through Land of Lincoln Honor Flight..org
Below from the left is Emerson Bradbury, Wayne Tucker, and Melvin Matter standing in front of the Illinois Memorial at the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC.
