The U.S. Air Force Memorial in Washington D.C. is one of the stops for veterans partaking in the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight October 2017. (Photo courtesy of Land of Lincoln Honor Flight)

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight (LLHF), serving central and mid-southern Illinois, will take our next Honor Flight on  Tuesday, May 15, departing from Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. On board LLHF Flight #49 to Washington, D.C., will be two World War II, 17 Korean War and 66 Vietnam War era veterans.

But before this happens, many of these 23 Air Force, 39 Army, 13 Marine and 10 Navy Vets, along with their Guardians, family and friends, will have enjoyed a pre-flight dinner in their  honor the night before at VFW Post #10302 in Springfield.

Eighty-five (85) Veterans and their Guardians will arrive at the airport Tuesday morning at 4:45, having traveled from the 57 Illinois cities and communities .

The towns of residence covered in this honor flight are: Assumption, Athens, Bement, Cantrall, Carlinville, Carrollton, Champaign, Chapin, Chatham, Clinton, Danville, Decatur, East Alton, Effingham, Farina, Gibson City, Gillespie, Godfrey, Greenview, Havana, Hillsboro, Hume, Leroy, Lincoln, Loda, Mason, Mattoon, Melvin, Mitchell, Moline, Moweaqua, Mt. Pulaski, Mt. Zion, Mt. Olive, Normal, Oakwood, Oreana, Pana, Pawnee, Petersburg, Potomac, Riverton, Robinson, Rochester, Shelbyville, Sherman, Springfield, St. Elmo, Strasburg, Swansea, Taylorville, Tower Hill, Vandalia, Virden, Virginia, Williamsville and Witt.

The veterans will board three luxury motor coaches upon arrival at Ronald Reagan National Airport in D.C.

Their most important stops will be at the World War II, Korean and Vietnam War memorials, as well as Arlington National Cemetery for the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Other stops include the Lincoln Memorial, the National Air & Space Museum (Chantilly, Va.), the U.S. Air Force Memorial, the U.S. Navy Plaza and the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima).

This day of honor is provided at absolutely no cost to our veterans.

The return to Springfield’s airport is planned at 9:30 p.m. and the general public, along with friends and family, are encouraged to welcome home these heroes. Come early. All are encouraged to wear red-white-blue patriotic colors, bring balloons, posters, etc. to show appreciation and support to the veterans who served and sacrificed so much for our country.

Veteran applications continue to be accepted with flight priority given in the following order: World War II (enlisted by Dec. 31, 1946), then Korean War Era (Jan. 1, 1947 to Dec. 31 1957), followed by the Vietnam War Era (Jan. 1 1958 to May 5, 1975).

Any certified terminally ill Veteran should contact LLHF directly. Veteran or Guardian Applications may be obtained at www.LandofLincolnHonorFlight.org by clicking on Applications tab.