Area veterans take part in Never Forgotten honor flight
Nearly 100 veterans from around the region took part in the Never Forgotten Honor Flight to Washington D.C. on Monday, September 5. This was the organization’s 41st flight since the first Never Forgotten Honor Flight took place April 27, 2010. To date, they have flown nearly 4,000 veterans from Northcentral Wisconsin.
Local veterans taking part in the trip included: From Medford: Steven Fischer, a Vietnam Era Navy veteran; James Frischmann, a Vietnam Era Army veteran; Daniel Higgins, a Vietnam Era Navy veteran; Darrell Higgins, a Vietnam Era Army veteran; Wayne Malchow a Vietnam Era Army veteran; and Gary Weir, a Vietnam Era Navy veteran.
From Rib Lake: James Packenham, a Vietnam Era Marine veteran.
From Abbotsford: Allen Langteau, a Vietnam Era Navy veteran and Richard Michlig, a Vietnam Era Army veteran.
From Colby: Gary Fecker, a Vietnam Era Army veteran.
From Edgar: James Borchardt, a Vietnam Era Navy veteran and Andrew Kavajecz a Vietnam Era Army veteran; and Carl Totzke, a Vietnam Era Army veteran.
From Stratford: John Borchardt, a Vietnam Era Army veteran.
The Never Forgotten Honor Flight Hub based in Wausau serves veterans in Marathon, Portage, Wood, Clark, Taylor, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas, Iron, Barron, Price and Rusk counties.
All veterans from the World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War eras are encouraged to submit an application (via the website, or calling 715573-8519). The only criteria for veterans to qualify for an Honor Flight is to have served during the years listed on the application/the website, regardless of where they served.
Veterans receive a free round-trip flight, and guardians pay $500 for the opportunity to accompany one, two or three veterans on the trip. Veterans and guardians interested in taking a future Honor Flight must complete an application at: www.neverforgottenhonorflight.com or contact the organization at 715-573-8519. The veterans are selected based upon the order in which their applications are received and the conflict they served in. Preference is given to World War II veterans, then Korea Veterans and then Vietnam era veterans. Veterans who are terminally ill, regardless of when they served in those three eras, are given top preference. Guardians should be 18-69 years old and able to lend physical assistance to the veterans. Completed applications for veterans and guardians also can be mailed to Never Forgotten Honor Flight, 225780 Rib Mountain Drive, #234, Wausau, WI 54401.
North Central Wisconsin’s Never Forgotten Honor Flight is the nation’s 77th regional hub and one of five Wisconsin Honor Flight hubs. The Wausau-based organization was certified by the National Honor Flight Network office in Springfield, Ohio on December 11, 2009.
