The 'Honor Flight' is a Noble Cause for Noble People

The Quad-Cities are a group of five Illinois-Iowa cities that adjunct where the Mississippi River turns from East to West. With its cultural atmosphere, history and access to major river life, it has become a very exciting place to visit. It is made up of Moline, East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. Now the Quad-Cities is going to be known for something else.

Perhaps no war veterans have been praised and revered more than those veterans of World War II. Known as the "Greatest Generation" they of course took part in one of the tensest times in world history, helping destroy Hitler and the Nazi Regime.

There has been a program developed dubbed the "Honor Flight" where World War II veterans are being flown to Washington D.C. free for a one day visit to see the World War II Memorial.

This effort will begin April 15, 2009. It will be open to any World War II veteran within a 75-mile radius of the Quad-Cities. Any veteran of any war, if terminally ill is eligible.

The flights, when they have started, will be non-stop affairs which will take the veterans to Washington D.C.; it will give them a one-day tour of the monuments and memorials available and then they will return the same day.

Bob Morrison who is the Quad-Cities Honor Flight hub director has indicated that it is going to take about $80,000 to fully fund the Honor Flight endeavor.

With each trip, there will be at least three guardians who will accompany the vets but will pay their own way which will cost between $600 and $650.

The need for the $80,000 has already been given an initial boost by the Davenport American Legion Post 26 with a donation of $20,000.

While the World War II Memorial was just completed in 2004, there is a great urgency to the program. When the program first began in 2004, World War II veterans were dying at the rate of 1,200 per day. While lower today, it is still significant at 800 per day.

We do a lot of things in this country to help, acknowledge and honor people. Frankly, it just doesn't get any better than the motive of the Honor Flight.

References:

qctimes.com