Land of Lincoln Honor Flight Set for Sept. 9

The Land of Lincoln Honor Flight (LLHF) will launch its 75th mission on Tuesday, September 9, carrying 95 veterans to Washington, D.C. for a day dedicated to remembrance and recognition.

The flight will honor seven Korean Era veterans and 88 Vietnam Era veterans from 65 Illinois hometowns, along with veterans from Florence, Arizona, and Mercedes, Texas. Participants served in all branches of the U.S. military.

Veterans and their guardians will report at 4 a.m. to Abraham Lincoln Capitol Airport before departing on a chartered Sun Country 737. The itinerary includes visits to the World War II, Korean and Vietnam War Memorials, Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknowns, the Lincoln Memorial, the National Air & Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia, the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, and the U.S. Air Force Memorial.

All costs are covered by donations, ensuring veterans participate at no expense. Since its inception, LLHF has flown more than 6,000 Central Illinois veterans on 74 flights. The nonprofit operates entirely with volunteers, maintaining administrative costs at about 2% so that nearly every dollar raised supports flight expenses.

The veterans are scheduled to return to Springfield at 9:30 p.m. on September 9. The public is invited to gather at the airport to welcome them home. Parking is free, with volunteers assisting drivers and shuttles available to the terminal.

LLHF President Joan Bortolon emphasized the importance of the welcome-home ceremony “The welcome home at the airport is the experience our veterans earned and deserve—but never received. For many of these heroes, this is the first time they will experience a sincere and heartfelt welcome home.”

LLHF also announced one more flight this year, scheduled for October 21. Veterans from World War II, the Korean Era, and the Vietnam Era are encouraged to apply at www.LandofLincolnHonorFlight.org.