In May 2005, the first honor flight took place when six small planes flew 12 veterans to Washington. The program was the brainchild of Jeff Miller, a small business owner from Hendersonville, North Carolina, and Earl Morse, a physician assistant and retired Air Force captain.

While working at the Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in Springfield, Ohio, Morse frequently treated WWII veterans. After the National WWII Memorial was completed in 2004, Morse asked these soldiers if they were planning to see it. Although many initially said yes, none of the vets was able to make the trip. It was at that time that Morse and Miller decided something needed to be done.

Although the program stated small, by the end of 2006 over 300 WWII veterans had participated in an honor flight. Word quickly spread and chapters began popping up all over the country. By November 2010, the Honor Flight Network had transported 63,292 veterans of WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War to Washington. There are currently 133 chapters serving veterans in 41 states and the District of Columbia.

The first local flight occurred in May of 2007. By June of 2008, over 800 local WWII veterans had traveled to see their well-deserved memorial, courtesy of four honor flights. To the delight of the greater Red River Valley, the program is scheduled to resume in July.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as of September 30, 2014, there were 4,599 Korean War veterans living in North Dakota, while 34,270 reside in Minnesota. In all, ND is home to 57,395 vets, MN 369,149. The WDAY Honor Flight 2015 hopes to help a great number of them get to Washington.

The initial honor flights were focused on WWII veterans and those who were terminally ill. “We initially felt an urgent need to take WWII vets because the monument had so recently been completed,” explained Fargo Honor Flights President Jane Matejcek. “This will be the first flight focused on Korean War vets.”

Matejcek has been a registered nurse at the Fargo Veterans Administration Health Care System since 1991. The job brings her great satisfaction. “I feel like I am taking care of heroes every day,” she said. “I love what I do and feel like I make a real difference.”

Matejcek feels a pronounced sense of gratitude of veterans of all eras, a sentiment she would like spread throughout the community. “I encourage everyone to give back because if it weren’t for their (the vets) service, we wouldn’t be the country we are. They are a lost generation.” The plane schedule to transport the vets to Washington holds 162 passengers. Matejcek doesn’t think there will be any problem filling it.

Tim Haugen is also a key part of Fargo’s honor flight program. Haugen served in the Army from 1975 to 1978, later joining the Army Reserves. He was also a member of the National Guard, retiring 12 years ago, when he became a full-time recruiter at the Moorhead National Guard Armory.

Haugen jumped at the chance to give back to those who served both before and after him. He is a member of Moorhead’s Beyond the Yellow Ribbon (BYR), a program designed to create awareness for the purpose of connecting service members and their families with community support, training, services, and resources.

Although BYR is a driving force behind the upcoming honor flight, Haugen would like to make sure their year-round mission is clear. “We are trying to get it noted that we want to assist vets in any way we can,” he explained.

In regards to the honor flights, BYR would like to hold two fundraisers per year, the first of which is scheduled for April 19 from 12:00 – 3:00pm at the American Legion in Moorhead. “Our main focus is to raise as much money as possible to send vets to see the monuments,” he said. “Our ultimate goal is to send 3,000 men and women.”

The fundraiser on April 19 will include a pig roast with salad, beans, French bread, and desserts. The meal will be a free will offering. In addition, the event will include a silent auction for items that share a military/patriotic theme, including handmade quilts by the Legion Ladies.

An event like this would not be possible without the cooperation of several area groups. In addition to BYR, the Moorhead Legion Post 21, the Dilworth VFW Post 1223, the Fargo Vietnam Vets of American Chapter 941, and the Fargo Disabled American Veterans Chapter 1 are also key sponsors of the fundraiser.

The upcoming honor flight will depart Fargo on July 24 and return the next day. Veterans travel for free, guardians pay $750. It is our responsibility as a community to support those vets who have given so much of themselves. As the Honor Flight Network’s mission states, “Freedom is not free.”

More information about the honor flight program can be found at www.honorflight.org.