William ‘Cecil’ Johnson: No mission impossible, no sacrifice too great
marc.zarefsky2023-10-16T23:00:48-05:00William “Cecil” Johnson celebrated his 18th birthday in 1954 by joining the army with the intention of becoming a ”lifer”.
Highlights from our 111th flight
marc.zarefsky2023-09-29T11:17:26-05:00September 20 was the penultimate flight for our 2023 Honor Flight Chicago season with 116 veterans traveling to yet another gorgeous weather day in our nation’s capital.
Joseph Varanauski: Never give up the guard
marc.zarefsky2023-09-20T08:59:55-05:00“I was, and still am, proud, humbled and honored to have been chosen to be a Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”
Ignacio Rodriguez: From Crew Chief To Welcome Home Organizer
marc.zarefsky2023-09-18T21:34:13-05:00Ignacio ‘Nacho’ says he’s a Navy man that never set foot on a ship. Still, he’s proud of his naval service as a crew chief on a C-121 Constellation known as the Typhoon Tracker that traveled throughout the Pacific.
Larry Krog: The Phantom Marine
marc.zarefsky2023-09-18T21:33:22-05:00It would be an understatement to say that Larry Krog always made up his own mind.
Harry DeBruin: A Prayer Made and Answered
marc.zarefsky2023-09-18T21:32:31-05:00Harry DeBruin grew up in a house with a horse stable near Lansing, IL. His family owned 50 horses and they boarded an additional 50 horses.
Jesse Kimp: Cold War Warrior
marc.zarefsky2023-09-18T21:31:43-05:00While political powers battled for supremacy during the Cold War, Airman Jesse Kimp was just trying to keep warm while serving late night guard duty in Alaska Territory.
Joseph Lombardi: Serving and Protecting
marc.zarefsky2023-09-18T21:30:24-05:00Joseph Lombardi was born in Chicago in 1947 and raised in the Cragin neighborhood on the northwest side of the city. His father had served under George Patton in World War II and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
Roger Dexter: A Fiery Experience
marc.zarefsky2023-09-18T21:29:28-05:00Roger Dexter was born in Melrose Park, Illinois in 1945, the fourth of five children. His father served in the Army in World War II but was never sent overseas, in part because of the large number of children he had.
Highlights from our 110th flight
marc.zarefsky2023-09-05T10:04:29-05:00While Chicago scorched under a triple-digit heat index, it was a relatively cool and comfortable day in D.C. in the low 80s for our one WWII, seven Korean War, and 101 Vietnam War veterans.
James Parker: From Celebrant to Celebrated
marc.zarefsky2023-08-22T23:15:52-05:00Longtime Honor Flight Chicago volunteer James “Jim” Parker usually wears an orange shirt on flight days, signifying his role in supporting the honored veterans. On flight day this month, Jim will put on a gray shirt, symbolizing he’s one of the veterans being celebrated on HFC flight #110.
Gloria Kerzner: Wanting to Serve Her Country
marc.zarefsky2023-08-22T23:14:57-05:00It was the uniform that first caught her eye. Not the bell bottoms that the boys wore, but the deep blue, tailored cut of the WAVE uniform that brought Gloria Harnett Kerzner to the Navy recruitment office in 1944.
James K. Sawyer: Reluctant Yet Proud
marc.zarefsky2023-08-24T09:35:35-05:00James Sawyer called himself a reluctant soldier but he said there was never a question in his mind that he wouldn’t report to the induction center when he was drafted in 1970.
George Pearson: An Elvis Welcome Home
marc.zarefsky2023-08-22T23:07:54-05:00As wounded personnel were brought in for treatment, George Pearson placed heavy fire on the enemy to protect the wounded soldiers. With complete disregard for his safety, he constantly exposed himself to keep a base of fire on the enemy, causing them to withdraw after suffering numerous casualties.
Charles Ohrn: Making a Deal
marc.zarefsky2023-08-22T23:13:28-05:00Charles Ohrn was born in Chicago and grew up in the suburb of Park Ridge. He was the middle son of three boys and had one sister. His older brother served in the US Army in Germany and his younger brother in the US Navy, based in Iceland.
William ‘Bill Ward: Unrelenting loyalty, initiative, and perseverance
marc.zarefsky2023-08-07T21:29:45-05:00"Awesome" is how Bill Ward describes his experience on July 12, 2023, when he traveled from Chicago to Washington, D.C., as a respected guest of the Honor Flight Chicago program.
George Kane: An unexpected military influence
marc.zarefsky2023-08-07T21:26:11-05:00The Reverend George Kane, or rather Fr. George as he prefers to be called, grew up on Chicago’s Northwest side as the second child in a family of four.
Highlights from our 109th flight
marc.zarefsky2023-07-25T12:33:59-05:00On a sultry day in D.C., 111 veterans comprising one WWII, [...]
Duane Buttell, Jr.: Guy In Back for a Mig-21 Victory
marc.zarefsky2023-07-10T22:13:24-05:00Bastille Day, July 14, 1966, a day Duane Buttell, Jr. will remember forever! He was flying in the lead F-4 of four fighters tasked to provide MiG cover for three F-105s (“Thuds”) attacking surface to air missile (SAM) sites near Hanoi.
James Hoder Jr. and James Hoder Sr.: The Navy is a Family Affair
marc.zarefsky2023-07-10T22:08:21-05:00The Navy is a family affair for the Hoders. James Sr. and James Jr. have the distinction of being just the second father/son duo to fly as honored veterans together on an Honor Flight Chicago mission.