WWII vets offered Honor Flight to D.C.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - World War II veterans from Greater Lafayette will have the opportunity to visit the nation's capitol for free.

Tippecanoe County is preparing for its first honor flight. Honor Flight Network is a nonprofit organization that takes America's veterans to Washington D.C. to visit memorials dedicated to honor their service and sacrifice.

The Lafayette Gold Star Mothers, Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski and many in the community announced the new endeavor Thursday. Co-President of the Lafayette Honor Flight Pam Mow said Greater Lafayette's honor flight is scheduled for April.

80 spots are available for World War Two veterans to fly from Purdue's airport to Washington D.C. There is no cost to the veteran to go on the honor flight. Each veteran is also paired up with a guardian for the trip.

Lafayette World War II Vet Bill Adkins went on an honor flight out of Fort Wayne last week.

"For people to respect what you did that many years ago was really moving to me," he said.

Adkins was excited to see the World War Two Memorial, but was touched even more by the way many honored the veterans.

"At the airport on the way back, there was a young service man that walked up to us and said I want to thank you guys for what you did in World War II. He said "I'm on my way to Iraq tonight." I just couldn't believe he would be concerned at all about what we had done back years ago," he said.

World War II vet Douglas Morrison lives in West Lafayette and has already signed up and his son, Vietnam veteran Brad Morrison will be his guardian going with him.

"I like to continue to honor Dad as many chances as I get," Brad Morrison said.

For Douglas Morrison, who was a prisoner of war, it's touching that mothers whose sons died in Iraq are making the trip happen.

"Take my hat off to the ladies for that. Really," Morrison said.

There will be a fundraiser for the Honor Flight at Chick-fil-a at 3836 State Road 26 East in Lafayette November 3, 2011 from 5:00-8:00 p.m.

You can get applications for veterans and guardians by going to the Honor Flight Network's website .