Area war veterans will be escorted to Washington, D.C. next week, courtesy of the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight. Veterans from Ashkum, Gibson City, Kempton, Rankin, and Rantoul will be onboard the honor flight to the nation's capital August 25.

82 veterans representing the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy, with 10 from World War II, 50 from the Korean era and 22 who served during the Vietnam War era will be onboard.

Along with their guardian escorts, they will be flying to Washington, D.C., aboard a Sun Country 737 charter jetliner on a day trip to visit and reflect at memorials in the country's capital. Once the airplane lands at Ronald Reagan National Airport, the veterans and guardians will board three coach buses.

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight of Springfield will embark on the first of its three fall flights that day.
The honor flight will return to Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield that same evening, arriving around 9:30 p.m. Family, friends and the public are encouraged to come to the airport to welcome the veterans, who come from two out-of-state towns and 53 Illinois communities.

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight provides a flight to veterans of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam War eras. A sign-up application may be obtained at www.LandofLincolnHonorFlight.org or by contacting John Dust at 309-339-0227.

94.1 WGFA