Area veterans to take part in April 14 Never Forgotten Honor Flight
103 Vietnam and 1 Korea era area Veterans will Board the 51st Never Forgotten Honor Flight to Washington D.C. on Monday, April 14, 2025 The Never Forgotten Honor Flight organization based in Wausau will fly 103 Vietnam and 1 Korea era veterans from central and northern Wisconsin to Washington, D.C. to see the memorials that honor their service on Monday, April 14, 2025. It’s the organization’s 51st flight since the first Never Forgotten Honor Flight took place April 27, 2010.
Area veterans taking the Honor Flight include: James Brunner of Medford. He is a Vietnam Era U.S. Army veteran who served in the United States and in Germany working with ordnance and rebuilding vehicle components.
Lawrence Peterson of Medford. He is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam and was in the military from September 1, 1974 to September 1, 1980.
Michael Selby of Medford. He is a Vietnam Era U.S. Army veteran who served in Wisconsin.
Lawrence Gedemer of Tripoli. He is a Vietnam Era U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Colorado and did radio maintenance.
Larry Hoffman of Athens. He is a Vietnam Era U.S. Army veteran. He entered service on May 31, 1968 and was a Specialist Fourth Class serving in Kentucky, Louisiana and Alaska.
Linus Risch of Athens. He is a Vietnam Era U.S. Army veteran. He served from October 30, 1964 to October 10, 1967 in Germany as a Motor Pool Sargent.
In addition to the veterans, 69 guardians will accompany the 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 NFHFissued clothing (hat, shirt or windbreaker) for the welcome home ceremony. After Monday’s trip, the Never Forgotten Honor Flight will have flown 4,977 veterans to Washington, D.C. All veterans that served prior to 7 May 1975 are encouraged to submit an application (via our website, or by calling 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.
