For the Tomahawk Leader
WAUSAU – Six Tomahawk veterans will participate in a pair of Never Forgotten Honor Flights to Washington, D.C., to see the memorials that honor their service.
The flights are organized by the Never Forgotten Honor Flight (NFHF) organization based in Wausau, which serves veterans in Barron, Clark, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, Portage, Price, Rusk, Taylor, Vilas and Wood counties.
The first flight is slated for Monday, May 2, while the second will take place on Monday, June 6. The flights will mark the Wausau-based NFHF organization’s 39th and 40th flights since the first one took place on April 27, 2010.
A total of 99 veterans – 15 Korean War veterans and 84 Vietnam War veterans – will take the Monday, May 2 flight. Among those set to make the trip to the nation’s capitol are Tomahawk residents Michael Gibson, a Vietnam-era Navy veteran; and Gerald Myers, a Vietnam-era Army veteran.
Veterans from communities throughout the Northwoods, including Antigo, Brantwood, Eagle River, Merrill and Rhinelander, are also slated to take the flight.
The veterans will be accompanied by 71 guardians on the one-day round trip that departs Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) in Mosinee at 6:30 a.m. and is scheduled to return at approximately 10 p.m.
Four Vietnam-era veterans from Tomahawk – John Goessl, Don Habeck, Robert Niewolny and John Wolff – are listed on the flight roster for the Monday, June 6 flight.
According to the trip itinerary, the flight will depart CWA at 6:45 a.m. and return at approximately 10:10 p.m.
The public is invited to CWA to welcome the veterans home. NFHF officials recommend arriving no later than 8:30 p.m. Free parking for those welcoming the veterans home will be provided. NFHF veteran alumni are encouraged to wear their NFHF-issued clothing (hat, shirt or windbreaker) for the welcome home ceremony.
Veterans receive a free round-trip flight, and guardians pay $500.00 for the opportunity to accompany one, two or three veterans on the trip.
Veterans and guardians interested in taking a future Honor Flight must complete an application at www.neverforgottenhonorflight.com or contact the organization at 715-573-8519.
All veterans from the World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War eras are encouraged to submit an application. The only criteria for veterans to qualify for an Honor Flight is to have served during the years listed on the application/website, regardless of where they served.
Completed applications for veterans and guardians also can be mailed to Never Forgotten Honor Flight, 4404 Rib Mountain Drive, #234, Wausau, Wis., 54401.
NFHF said the veterans are selected based upon the order in which their applications are received and the conflict they served in.
“Preference is given to World War II veterans, then Korea Veterans, and then Vietnam era veterans,” NFHF stated. “Veterans who are terminally ill, regardless of when they served in those three eras, are given top preference. Guardians should be 18-69 years old and able to lend physical assistance to the veterans.”
Following the May and June flights, NFHF will have flown more than 3,700 veterans to Washington, D.C.
North Central Wisconsin’s NFHF is the nation’s 77th regional hub and one of five Wisconsin Honor Flight hubs. The Wausau-based organization was certified by the National Honor Flight Network office in Springfield, Ohio on Dec. 11, 2009.