Great River Honor Flight celebrating 16 years of honoring veterans with special themed missions

QUINCY — Great River Honor Flight is celebrating its 16th year of operation this year, offering free trips to Washington, D.C., for local veterans. 

“From the very first trip on April 13, 2010 to the latest one on October 10, 2024, our mission has remained constant in celebrating America’s veterans by inviting them to share a day of honor at our nation’s memorials,” Carlos Fernandez, chairman of the Great River Honor Flight board, said in a press release. 

“2025 will be a very special year with a number of special events, including the 75th mission as well as an all-female veterans flight scheduled for June,” vice-chair Sharon Lake said.

“Our impact on offering veterans the Honor Flight experience for free is due to the ongoing financial support over the years from the more than 13,000 donors made up of individuals, groups, businesses and the veterans themselves,” treasurer Doug Reed added. 

Preparations for the first three of five trips in 2025 are being made. 

April 17 – 75th mission

• The first mission of the new year marks the 75th overall trip of the program. It will leave from the campus of John Wood Community College in Quincy.

June 19 – All-female flight

• Ths flight will feature the first all-female veterans group.  Preparations for this special trip include the usual preflight meeting as well as a tour of Hannibal sites, a riverboat cruise and a dinner the evening before at the Hannibal American Legion Hall. A big focus of this trip will be a tour in Washington, D.C., and presentation and dinner at the Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

Aug. 14 – All-Adams County flight to commemorate Bicentennial celebration

• As part of the year-long Bicentennial celebration, this flight will prominently feature veterans from Adams County. Veterans from Adams hold the top spot with 751 having participated to date.

The remaining two dates in September and October will soon be announced. 

The proof of the program’s success lies in the numbers it has accomplished: 

• 74 missions
• 2,381 veterans honored: 429 WWII, 582 Korea, 1,268 Vietnam, 101 Armed Forces (Including guardians, that number grows to more than 4,000 people)
• Veterans from 73 counties in Illinois (32), Missouri (34) and Iowa (7)

Veterans are encouraged to go to www.greatriverhonorflight.com and fill out an application. 

For additional information, contact Carlos Fernandez at csfernandez1951@gmail.com or Great River Honor Flight, P.O. Box 3723, Quincy, Ill., 62305.