Our 18th Honor Flight Chicago season is upon us! We kicked off the 2026 flight campaign on Wednesday, April 15, with the 127th flight in our history, bringing two Korean War and 106 Vietnam War Veterans to Washington, D.C.
It’s always wonderful to begin a new year and bring our family back together in the early morning and evening hours at Midway. We had 261 of our dedicated Chicago volunteers register to support this initial mission, including many brand-new volunteers who got their first taste of what our flight operations are all about.
The Memorials in Washington D.C. are undergoing a lot of work in preparation for the America 250 celebrations later this summer, but that did not detract from the visits of our Veterans. Neither did the unseasonably warm temperatures (94 degrees in mid-April!). Our D.C. Guardians and leadership were on their game in preparing for and executing our mission to our standards despite these challenges.
Among the heroes on this flight were three Veterans from Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish on the Southeast side of Chicago. Their roles in Vietnam were not easy. Alphonso Ferreira served as a door gunner, Jose Cruz was an RTO, and Lawrence Vasquez was a tunnel rat. Still, they came home while 12 of their fellow Parishioners did not. A large mural honors the fallen, and Alphonso, Jose, and Lawrence have made it their mission to raise funds for a renovation to the mural. We highlighted their story here, and NBC-5/Telemundo will feature them in Memorial Day special filmed during our flight.
Despite the gravity of the trip for them, the three friends were a PG-13 comedy troupe for much of the day, showcasing the camaraderie and bawdy humor of Veterans who have had intense shared experiences. As he waited for the Welcome Home Parade to begin Wednesday night, though, Lawrence failed to hold back tears. “I’ve been crying all day. I can’t stop crying. Thank you all so much.”
The impact we have on our senior war heroes is real. We have six more opportunities to forever change lives with this one-day experience in 2026. See you next month!
Edna Ho and Doug Meffley
Directors, Honor Flight Chicago
“There are no words for the absolute mind-blowing day given to ALL of us yesterday. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. WOW! Art Lubben, a nobody, felt like a VIP. Super job – still going through the cards and letters from loved ones and complete strangers, you left no stone unturned! An experience of a lifetime!”
— Vietnam Veteran Art Lubben
“It worked so well to pull it off. My DC Guardian deserves a gold star or medal of honor. I had a heavy heart most of the day thinking about all of those guys who didn’t make it home. The Vietnam Wall was moving and the Air & Space Museum was incredible. Everyone went above and beyond. Kudos and accolades to all involved. You made my special day even more special.”
— Vietnam Veteran Jay Stob
“What a day in D.C. I have two words to describe the experience: Awesome and Emotional. Thanks to the multitude of volunteers. It is a well-oiled machine.”
— Vietnam Veteran Robert Russell
“Just wanted to thank you for putting this all together for me. It was something so special to me (sorry for all the tears) but it really was wonderful.”
— Vietnam Veteran James Klimes
“A big shout out to all the people responsible for making my day special and unforgettable. The whole thing was awesome but nothing will ever compare to the welcome at Midway. It just totally blew me away- Thanks so much.”
— Vietnam Veteran Leon Francis
“It was a life changing Experience!! The mail call tore me up. Still tear up when I think about it all. I’ll spread the word if that’s ok?? My time served has a lot more meaning now!”
— Vietnam Veteran Joseph Marshall
