Land of Lincoln Honor Flight to take place May 15

SPRINGFIELD (Heartland Newsfeed) — The Land of Lincoln Honor Flight (LLHF) will be making its second journey of 2018 from the state capital to the nation’s capital in ten days, according to a press release made available Saturday.

85 veterans from 57 communities, well represented between the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy branches who served in World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War, as well as their guardians will depart from Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport on Tuesday, May 15 en-route to Washington, D.C. A pre-Honor Flight dinner and ceremony will be held the night before at VFW Post #10302 in Springfield. Upon arrival at Ronald Reagan National Airport, the group will board three luxury motor coaches to tour the nation’s capital, with the primary focus being the memorials of all three wars, as well as Arlington National Cemetery for the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The group will also stop at the Lincoln Memorial, the National Air & Space Museum, Air Force Memorial, the Navy Plaza and the Marine Corps Memorial. This event is provided at no cost to the veterans and is often covered by generous sponsors, as it is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization who does not receive government funding. The press release noted that “they have paid enough; it is our turn to pay them back.” Veteran applications are still being accepted on their website with flight priority given in the following order:

• World War II — enlistment by December 31, 1946
• Korean War — enlistment from January 1, 1947 until December 31, 1957
• Vietnam War — enlistment from January 1, 1958 until May 7, 1975

LLHF requires prompt notification if a certified terminally ill veteran will be attending the Honor Flight. This flight is the second date for 2018; the first flight was held April 3. Four more dates have been set — June 19, August 21, September 25 and October 30.