westernmost point of D.C. possible. Departures alternate between Quincy and Hannibal to ensure that veterans from both Illinois and Missouri feel included and valued. The Great River Honor Flight has followed a typical flight itinerary which has been extremely successful for more than 13 years. That itinerary includes an early morning (2-3 AM) departure for a bus ride to Lambert Field in St. Louis where the veterans, guardians, and other attendants will board their flight to Baltimore and then on to DC. The first stop occurs at the Vietnam Wall Memorial. This stop also includes visits to the nearby Korea and Lincoln Memorials. Next is a stop at the World War II Memorial, which sits next to the Washington Monument and where a group picture will be taken. After that, a tour is taken of DC, with a stop at the Iwo Jima Memorial and an emotional visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where they will see the ceremonial Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The DC trip concludes with dinner at the Air Force Memorial overlooking the Pentagon. The veterans then travel to Reagan International Airport for their return flight back to St. Louis. A charter bus brings them back to the rendezvous point in Quincy, Illinois or Hannibal, Missouri for a rousing homecoming in the late evening, typically after 10 PM.
and see the Changing of the Guard– an incredibly solemn experience for anyone, but especially so for veterans. Regardless, no one complained. The trip’s overriding sentiment was that helping one of their own in need was paramount. Added to that was the incredible show of gratitude and support received from strangers throughout the day, and they returned as better people than those who left early that morning. From this point, they set out to share their vision and generate interest in offering flights for local veterans across the Tri-State region. They welcomed the opportunity to tell their story to anyone willing to listen. “We can’t all be heroes. Some of us have to stand on the curb and clap as they walk by.” – Will Rogers The Great River Honor Flight hub was officially established on Veteran’s Day 2009 through collaboration among service groups from both sides of the Mississippi, with significant help from the Exchange Club of Quincy and the Rotary Club of Hannibal. Initially choosing “Tri-State Honor Flight” for the new hub’s name, they discovered it was already taken by a hub created by Earl Morse in Ohio, so instead they chose “Great River” in honor of Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri rivers, which play a significant role in the lives of all those nearby. The flight itself takes place within 24 hours, with departures from the
Hannibal Rotary Club and some of their affiliated colleagues heard about an Honor Flight program that had been started in Columbia, MO. The two groups connected, realizing they shared a passion for honoring veterans and organized a meeting to discuss how to become involved in the network locally. After several meetings and
discussions, it was collectively decided that the Tri-State area
needed an Honor Flight hub to serve those veterans who lived in the area. To begin, three things were needed: 1. A better understanding of how to conduct a flight ourselves, locally 2. To experience an Honor Flight before we could schedule one 3. To get the word out about Honor Flights Assistance in starting their new hub came from their friends in Columbia, who were instrumental in mentorship and problem solving. Carlos Fernandez and former board member, David Mobley, Associate Judge of Ralls County 10th Judicial Court, signed up, paid the fee, were trained, and went as Guardians with an Honor Flight from Central Missouri. What they learned on that flight only increased their passion for the Honor Flight program. During the flight, one veteran experienced severe trouble with motion sickness, requiring a lot of personal attention and care from the guardians and medical staff. Due to this, the trip’s itinerary had to be changed, and the opportunity was lost to visit the Arlington National Cemetery
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To Be Continued!
To read about Engineman Monks’ Honor Flight Mission to Washington, D.C., and the events he experienced, watch for the next installment in this story in the next magazine! To learn more about the Honor Flight Network, find a hub in your area, or get involved, visit www.honorflight. org
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