Veterans attending a Meet and Greet at VFW Post 3413 learned of an Honor Flight arranged by Hays County Veterans Officer Jude Prather. The Hays County Bill Kolbe Memorial Flight (#53) leaves today for Washington, D.C. with some 40 veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War aboard. The VFW will hold a welcome home ceremony at Austin Bergstrom International Saturday at 6:30 p.m. VFW photo
Hays County Honor Flight taking off today
Brookdale San Marcos South resident Harvey Heflin is making the trip of a lifetime with the Honor Flight program. Heflin, an Army veteran, was selected to participate in the William “Bill” Kolbe Memorial flight to Washington D.C. today. Heflin will visit memorials built to honor him and other veterans.
Heflin served in the Army from 1955 to 1963. He reached the rank of Sergeant 1st Class, and served in Okinawa, a Japanese island in the East China Sea. Heflin said he’s proud to have served his country.
Heflin will join other Hays County veterans at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. They will arrive in Washington D.C. this afternoon and visit memorials the following morning before returning to Austin. Their itinerary includes stops at the WWII Memorial, Viet Nam, Lincoln, and Korean War memorials, then visits to the Navy, FDR, Airforce, and Iwo Jima (Marine) memorials. The veterans will also visit Arlington National Cemetery where they will observe a changing of the guard ceremony and a wreath laying ceremony.
Honor Flight is a non-profit organization with the mission to WWII, Korean War and Viet Nam War veterans in the state of Texas to Washington D.C. to visit those memorials dedicated to honor their service and sacrifices.
