Honor Air

In 2004, the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC was dedicated to honor the Greatest Generation, those men and women who fought and sacrificed in the service of our country. The youngest survivors of that war are now in their late seventies, and many of them will never have the opportunity to visit the memorial this country has created for them.

HonorAir was the creation of the Rotary Club of Hendersonville, NC. That club sponsored three separate one-day trips to the Memorial in 2006, and three more in 2007, providing many Henderson County veterans that opportunity. The program has been featured on Sixty Minutes and other network programs. Other Rotary clubs in the district have teamed up with the Hendersonville Club to sponsor veterans and provide funding and guardians to escort the veterans on the trip.

Mission:

To send Catawba County WWII Veterans on Honor Air flights to see their memorial in Washington DC at no cost to them.

When & Where:

Hickory Rotary Club sent eight WWII Veterans and three Guardians on the November 1st, 2008 Rotary District 7670 Cooperative Honor Air Flight. This one-day trip chartered a USAirways flight from the Asheville Airport to Washington, DC, visited the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, witnessed the changing of the guard at Arlington Cemetery, and returned to Asheville, all in one day!

Group photo, note Colin Powell, who visited the group and thanked them for their service.

Click here Honor Air02.jpg (547.99 kb) to open larger picture.

Hickory Rotary Veterans included Bill Cauble, Avery Wilfong and Bobby Bumbarger.

Hickory Rotary Club again participated in Honor Air on October 3, 2009, sending three veterans and one guardian.