Dear Honor Flight Crew, I would like to express my application for the most memorable day of my life. Everything was perfect. It was so well organized. I can’t imagine the time that was spent putting all this together for our veterans. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH! And then when we landed. Oh, my goodness!! All the people. Everytime we turned the corner there were more. I have never shaken so many hands. I was smiling so much and so big my ears were hurting. There were children, families, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Police, Deputies, National Guard, Army other veterans with red shirts. What a welcome back. I felt so GOOD. I felt validated. There were many a day back when I came home. Not respected or accepted. But I can say with all my heart after the Honor Flight that chapter in my life is replaced with all the wonderful thoughts of Honor and Appreciation. I was truly overwhelmed by the whole thing.
I NEEDED THIS!!!!! This is on top of my bucket list by far. I am a member of the V.F.W. in Golden Estates In Naples, Fl. I will be sharing the Honor Flight with all the veterans there. What a day. WOW. I would like to say how wonderful my GUARDIAN Nate was. He shared his emotions, gratitude and understanding. I have made a friend for LIFE. Thank you NATE, Thank you so much! I am looking forward to what the future will bring in our newfound friendship together. Veteran,
I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the extraordinary organization, planning, and execution of Honor Flight Mission 29. The words “Thank You” seem totally inadequate in recognizing the immense effort you put forth to make the day so meaningful for all involved.
From veteran and guardian recruitment, mission prebriefing, and the coordination of the Red, White, Blue, and Green Busses and Lanyards, to the Red, White, and Yellow Shirts—every detail was handled with precision. The seamless bus transport with police escort to the airport, the “enhanced” TSA screening, and the thoughtful provision of food at the airport, lunch, and dinner ensured everyone was cared for throughout the journey. The Wreath Laying Ceremony, and the heartfelt WELCOME HOME provided moments of reflection and celebration, making this mission a truly memorable experience for every participant.
Your leadership and dedication have left a lasting impact. You brought together an incredible Yellow Shirt Team and created an event that will be cherished by all who took part. Thank you for your commitment and for making Honor Flight Mission 29 such a success. Your dedication means so much to us.
Fair winds and following seas,
This was such a wonderful experience, which I’ll never forget. An experience of a lifetime that i was able to share with other great veterans. I’m so thankful for the opportunity. And the homecoming reception at RSW…It was a tremendous welcoming! And all the thoughtful mementos. What a difference compared to the reception I had returning after my multiple Vietnam tours…it brought tears to my eyes. It was so appreciated! I can’t Thank everyone enough especially my Guardian Mark. He was Great - patience and very helpful. My thanks also goes to Dr. Stephen who ensured my health needs were managed. God Bless all the volunteers and everyone who made this trip so memorable. It will be something I’ll always remember.
Respectfully,
Hello Honor Flight Team and my fellow Guardians.
With apologies to ‘Reply All,’ but this email is a thank you to all!
This was my first Honor Flight and I and my father, Jerry (USMC ‘55-‘62), are still on Cloud 9. Saturday’s Honor Flight was his dream come true.
To spend this day with him was beyond special. To see my Dad in the presence of his fellow Veterans, I witnessed my 88 year old Dad as a young man when he served: mischievous, joking, reminiscing, solemn, reflective. I experienced a side of my Dad I had only witnessed on occasion; this Honor Flight put him with his ‘buddies,’ and it was a joy to see.
This weekend also bonded us in a way where neither one of us saw coming. He and I would like to volunteer on future missions to help other veterans. This Mission gave my Dad and I a common bond to do something together that means a great deal to the both of us. At 88 years of age he knows he cannot lift, push or pull…but he can be a part of an incredible volunteer force within Honor Flight to help future Missions. We are looking forward to serving these future Missions together not only as Father and son, but as a tribute to the Veterans we have yet to serve.
WE are so incredibly appreciative for the Honor Flight Team and to every one of YOU. Thank you!
To my fellow Guardians: It was an absolute pleasure meeting you and sharing your commitment to our veterans. Each one of you are amazing.
My Dad and I are looking forward to seeing you all again soon as Guardians! Be blessed everyone.
I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation to you and all of the volunteers who made this Honor Flight such an incredible and memorable experience for all of us.
The entire day was truly special, but I have to say the welcome home at RSW was nothing short of phenomenal. Seeing so many people gathered to greet us, celebrate, and show their appreciation was incredibly moving. It was the perfect way to complete an already unforgettable day, and one that I will carry with me for a lifetime.
Your energy, organization, and genuine care for each of us did not go unnoticed. You and the entire team made us feel honored, respected, and appreciated every step of the way. Please extend my thanks to everyone involved in making this mission so meaningful.
It was truly a privilege to be part of Mission 29 and to have met such an amazing group of people. Thank you again for everything you did to make the day so special. Wishing you all the very best, and I hope our paths cross again soon.
Warm regards,
I cannot thank all of you enough for the wonderful time I had during the trip. The effort that everyone put in to make our day was above and beyond anything that I expected. I can only agree with what the other vets have written. This is an experience that I will never forget and cherish for the rest of my life. Again, THANK YOU.
Honor Flight,
I am writing on behalf of my husband, David. He really enjoyed the trip. He said it was quite an honor to be a part of it. He has been wanting to go for quite some time. Thank you and everyone who made this possible for him and our Veterans. He was only 19 when he went to Vietnam. The day I picked him up at the airport when he came home. We took a walk around his neighborhood, and it wasn’t raining, but all of a sudden there was a loud crack of thunder and there he was diving to the dirt on the side of the road. I thought “dear God, what have they done to him over there?” That is forever etched in my mind. We got married three months later. He was 20 (turned 20 in Nam) and I was 18. We will be married 56 years in Nov. Those boys never got a welcome home from Nam. They were treated so badly. I think the honor flight homecoming was so wonderful to these guys ~ the welcome home they never received after the war. Many were moved to tears. I have communicated with you on his behalf because his hands shake so badly he can’t type easily or even legibly write his name anymore. So thank you very much for your emails and communication with me these past months on his behalf. I truly appreciate your help and answering my questions and my emails. You have been a tremendous help. Respectfully and gratefully yours,
Good morning, All. On behalf of my father, Robert, I want to say THANK YOU to all of the volunteers who contributed to the planning and success of this amazing adventure. My father has been on Cloud 9 since the start. His experience was one of the best of his life. My father and Mr. S were fortunate to have been given the opportunity to be honored by the Korean Government with an Ambassador for Peace medal in a presentation by Mr. Lee who was their representative. This took place in a ceremony at the Korean War Memorial during our stop there. Many thanks to Doc for arranging this for them. He was overwhelmed by this honor. There were several Korean people there while this was taking place. They were all so kind and gracious and thankful to them for their contribution and service to their country. We met another man from Korea while we were taking in the Lincoln Memorial. He stopped and gave thanks and provided his gratitude for his service. There was a language barrier, but it was clear how much he appreciated the efforts of my father and all of the people that came to help them in their time of need. Later, after taking in the Iwo Jima memorial and a great lunch from Mission BBQ, (Thank you Adam) dad was provided the opportunity to participate in the Wreath Ceremony at the COTG at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. What an honor! He and I will never forget this opportunity to participate in such a meaningful and solemn ceremony. He understood the gravity of this undertaking, and he was deeply honored to have been chosen to do it. Thank you to whomever made the decision to include him. We will never forget it. I want to say that the planning, for us, was impeccable. The preplanning gave us a good idea of what to expect but it doesn’t prepare you for what is ahead. The team in our eyes is a well-oiled machine. If there were hiccups during the day we did not know it. Our bus captains, Adam and Jason, kept us on track and informed along the way. They did a great job. Our bus driver Kevin and our tour guide made traveling around town enlightening and enjoyable. Thank you for herding this bunch of misfits from planning through completion of the mission. You made the day a memorable one for al of us. Great job and THANK YOU! I have a lot of pictures from the day. I attached a couple here of the Ambassador for Peace ceremony and the Wreath Ceremony. I have many more that I will share if anyone is looking for something specific. Again, Thank You so much for an amazing day for my father. There is a lot of good in our country. These men and women are the reason we get to live in the greatest country in all of the world! Many Thanks
I want to thank you and all your staff for the incredible experience of this trip. It was much more than I anticipated and I am so grateful that I was able to spend time with all of you.
This trip will be embedded in my heart and mind for the rest of my life. Every Veteran should witness this experience and feel the camaraderie that we all share.
Again, I want to thank you for this experience, and I will always remember it.
I would like to give you a big salute for one of the most remarkable and memorable days in my life and one I will fondly remember for the rest. My guardian (My son) said he couldn’t every remember a better day we had spent together. Thanks to you and your professional staff for a remarkable day we will NEVER forget!!! Please don’t change anything you are doing!
Semper Fi!
My participation in the Honor Flight event on 25 April was an experience I shall never forget. Visiting all the war memorial sites in Washington was truly an emotional experience, and to couple that with the receipt of a huge number of cards and letters from friends and strangers thanking me for my Military Service brought tears to my eyes. As if that wasn’t enough, the day was topped off with a spectacular Welcome Home ceremony at the airport attended by hundreds of clapping, shouting, hand-shaking people.
To all who made this such a special moment in my life, THANK YOU!
Dear Bus Captain,
Let us get your rank squared away. No more “aka Drill Sergeant.” Based on your performance on Mission 29 and during the pre-briefing on 18 April, you have more than earned the rank of Command Sergeant Major—in both title and deed. Nothing more needs to be said; everyone who benefited from your hard work is deeply grateful.
Earlier, a veteran’s son did an excellent job recognizing your team while highlighting the awards presented to his father and companion. In short, communication was outstanding from start to finish, with information flowing constantly. Lanyard control proved to be exactly the right approach—I’d recommend everyone keep IDs there until they can safely return them to their wallets. Bus control was exceptional as well; Adam and Jason ran a tight ship. I thought we might take home the “Best Bus” award, but perhaps it was rigged since the new Command Sergeant Major was aboard.
The emoji shirt identification was a smart move. When we returned home and lined up for what I expected would be a warm welcome based on past stories. I was not prepared for what we encountered in that hallway. I couldn’t stop my eyes from “leaking.” The sincere thanks from men, women, and children of all ages were almost overwhelming. I hope everyone present knows how deeply we appreciated that reception. I was told it was the largest crowd ever.
I mentioned shirt identification earlier, but it deserves a bit more attention. My Guardian, Steve, can crawl into my foxhole anytime. He’s a true professional at keeping guys like me out of trouble. This trip was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and Steve made sure of it. I’m confident my fellow veterans received the same level of care and dedication from their Guardians. The yellow shirts were everywhere—somehow outnumbered, yet always ahead of us throughout the day.
I’m sure I’ve forgotten something or someone, but I will never forget this experience.
One last note—CSM, have your troops get you a portable microphone. We want to keep hearing your voice for a long time. And if you ever switch to a single malt Scotch, I’ll gladly take you up on that drink.
Thanks again for everything.
Wow! That doesn’t explain the hard work you and your Honor Flight 29 staff accomplished. From the beginning with breakfast to the surprising finale at the airport and everything in between. I had many memories brought back some good some not so good, but you made them all flow with your kindness. What you guys do really matter. We veterans can’t thank you enough.
Our Bus leader was not only well informed but a great pleasure, keeping things going in a timely manner. She was there to remind me coming on and off the bus that I was to put 2 feet on one step before going to the next one. 😊 God Bless Honor Flight 29 staff. Thank you,
I want to thank you and your staff very much for a wonderful experience that I will remember forever. It was above and beyond any expectation that I had.
The entire staff was so friendly and helpful to all our needs. In talking with other veterans, we all felt the same. Everything was so well organized and scheduled. Not only was Washington and the memorials the highlight it was also meeting and making new friends along the way.
I was so impressed with all the people that came out to welcome us home at RSW airport.
It was very emotional for myself as I wished my late wife could’ve seen what you all had done for me as she was part of the last two years of my military service. I hope every Veteran gets to experience this special day.
God bless you all, Best regards,
Thank you, and all the wonderful volunteers who made our day so very special. To all of us it was a lifetime experience that we will never forget. It was organized so well right up to the end. I never expected such a wonderful homecoming. I was lost for words. I will definitely tell other Veterans about my experience and recommend they sign up for future honor flights with you.
I really don’t know where to start. Your entire crew are absolutely outstanding. From the arrival at the departure gate to our return to the home gate was the most memorable and magical trip I have ever experienced, and I believe it was the same for all the veterans on Mission 29. For many of us the return greeting was long overdue, though we accepted the discourse that Vietnam labeled us with, it was a bitter taste. Your group and all that was done cleared that, giving us gratitude and respect for our service to country and our brother and sister citizens. God Bless you for all that you do and continued success in all future endeavors and God Bless America.