Local veterans among those who took part in Honor Flight

The Never Forgotten Honor Flight organization based in Wausau flew 91 Vietnam and 7 Korea era veterans from central and northern Wisconsin to Washington, D.C. to see the memorials that honor their service on Monday, September 23. It’s the organization’s 49th flight since the first Never Forgotten Honor Flight took place April 27, 2010.

Area Vietnam Era veterans taking part on the Sept. 23 Never Forgotten Honor Flight include: Earl Oberle of Gilman, Kenneth Jascor of Medford, Joseph Roiger of Medford and John Meyer of Ogema.

Earl Oberle served in the US Army in the infantry in the infantry.

Kenneth Jascor served in the Air Force from 1958 to 1962. He was a private, first place and was stationed in Bermuda as an air craft mechanic.

Joseph Roiger served from July 1956 to August 1958 and was a private E2 stationed in Germany.

Meyer served in Vietnam in the “Big Red One” in recon. He was a machine gunner and worked mainly in the Iron Triangle.

In addition to the veterans, 75 guardians will accompany these vets on the one-day round trip that departs Central Wisconsin Airport at 6:30 a.m. and is scheduled to return at approximately 10 p.m. The public is invited to the Central Wisconsin Airport to welcome the veterans home Monday night, and Honor Flight officials recommend arriving no later than 8:30 p.m. Free parking for those welcoming these veterans home will be provided. Never Forgotten Honor Flight (NFHF) veteran alumni are encouraged to wear their NFHF-issued clothing (hat, shirt or windbreaker) for the welcome home ceremony.

After Monday’s trip, the Never Forgotten Honor Flight will have flown 4,707 veterans to Washington, D.C. All veterans that served prior to 7 May 1975 are encouraged to submit an application (via our web site, or calling by 715.573.8519). The only criteria for veterans to qualify for the Never Forgotten Honor Flight, is to have served (active duty, reserves or national guard) prior to 7 May 1975, 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 us at 715-573-8519. The veterans are selected based upon the order in which their applications are received and the conflict they served in. Priority is given to World War II era veterans, then Korea era Veterans and then Vietnam era veterans. Veterans who are terminally ill, regardless of when they served in those three eras, are given top priority. Guardians should be 18-69 years old and able to lend physical assistance to the veterans. Guardians cannot be a spouse or “significant other”. Veteran and guardian applications can be completed online or 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 (of 128 nationally) 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.