What is The Honor Flight Network?
The Honor Flight Experience
In order to participate in the Honor Flight experience, the veteran has to fill out an application with a local Honor Flight Organization. During the summer of 2011, my Mother and I were made aware of a trip being planned for October 2011 by the Central Illinois Honor Flight organization. The group refers to the flights as missions.
The mission planned for October 18, 2011 was the first mission to be flown out of our local airport in Savoy , Illinois. The group had flown many missions out of other Central Illinois airports but this was the first one from the Champaign area.
The Central Illinois Honor Flight organization teamed up with a local radio station as well as various other corporate sponsors to make the trip possible.
The Mission
We left home at 4 in the morning. When we got to the airport, the entrance to the airport hanger was lined with American Flags! We flew on a charter airplane to Washington DC.
The veterans were greeted at the Washington DC airport by a band and crowds of people wanting to thank them for their service. Everywhere we went that day, strangers came up to the various veterans to thank them and shake their hands.
The veterans and their escorts spent the day touring the various memorials in Washington DC. We were able to go to the WW2 memorial as well as Arlington Cemetery to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We visited the memorials to each of the branches of service.
A photographer traveled with us and made sure that each veteran had an individual picture taken at the memorial that represented his or her branch of service. My Dad did not normally use a wheel chair but he decided he wanted to use one that day. It would have been difficult for him to walk as far as we had to walk during the trip.
We boarded the airplane for the flight back to Willard Airport in the early evening. Each of the veterans received an envelope of mail that included letters and notes from various school children as well as friends and families of the veterans.
When we landed at the airport, the airplane carrying us was given a water salute by the local Fire Department. There was a large crowd waiting to greet the veterans upon their return from their mission.
It was an amazing trip. I am so glad that I was able to accompany my Dad on this mission.
updated 11/11/2025
Due to the government shut down, the mission from Southwest Florida this fall was cancelled. The mission out of Springfield, Illinois did go as originally planned. More information can be found here: https://www.honorflight.org
I was so Blessed to see the response when the Honor Flight returned to Champaign! It was Americans honoring Americans! It still brings tears to my eyes! We need to get back to feeling proud of America!