Washington Co., Wi – Fifteen veterans from Washington County, WI will be on the November 5, 2022 Stars & Stripes Honor Flight.
Vietnam veterans include:
Air Force: Randall Fries from Colgate, Alan Dembiec from Hubertus, Gregory Simons Sr. from West Bend
Marines: Ronald Kassel from Hartford, Marines William Hanson Hartford, Navy Erling Christensen Hubertus
Army: Kenneth Equitz from Hubertus, Richard Gellendin and Kenneth Lauterbach of Richfield, Russell Netland of Theresa, Thomas Frailing and Jack Reis of West Bend,
Navy: William Burg and Gerald Vincent of Slinger and James Maersch of West Bend
The final Stars & Stripes Honor Flight of 2022 will take off on Saturday, November 5. The organization’s 66th “mission” since 2008 will utilize two chartered Allegiant Airlines Airbus 320 aircraft that will depart from and return to Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport (MKE) on that day.
In total, 162 Korean War and Vietnam War veterans from southeastern Wisconsin and beyond will be honored on November 5 with a one day, all-expenses-paid trip to Washington DC to visit the memorials built in their honor and to experience a full day of honor and thanks for their service.
“It is truly a joy for us to rally our community to finally thank our oldest veterans for their sacrifices many years ago,” said Karyn Roelke, president of Stars and Stripes Honor Flight.
Veterans that are currently scheduled to be honored on this Honor Flight include two Korean War veterans, two Vietnam veterans who were awarded a Purple Heart for wounds sustained during combat, and a retired Army colonel.
“So many of our Vietnam War and Korean War veterans came home to disinterest, or to a hostile reception,” Roelke said. “What an honor it will be to finally welcome them home properly and hopefully replace some of those difficult memories with positive ones.”
After the planes arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport on flight morning, the veterans and their guardians will spend the day touring Washington DC. The tour will include the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Marine Corps/Iwo Jima Memorial, and the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery.
They will return back to Milwaukee that evening to a joyous homecoming celebration at Mitchell International Airport, with a band, flags, cheering fans and the welcome home that they did not receive when they returned home from deployment.
Once the 2022 flights are complete, Stars and Stripes Honor Flight will have flown almost 9,000 local veterans on these trips to Washington since 2008 and will have honored more than 50 veterans locally who were not able to fly. As an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff and no offices, the organization is proud to share that more than $.96 of every donated dollar goes directly to flying and honoring veterans.
Honor Flight is a national program with more than 130 hubs from coast to coast. The WWII Memorial did not open until 2004, and many of our oldest veterans are unable to visit Washington DC without assistance. Nationally, hubs in the Honor Flight Network have taken more than 250,000 veterans to see their memorials.
Timeline of activities for the Saturday November 5 Stars and Stripes Honor Flight:
5:00 am – Veterans and their guardians begin check in on Mitchell Airport’s main concourse
5:50 am – National Anthem by a cappella group “Vintage Mix”
6:30 am – “Alpha” flight departs for Dulles Airport; water cannon salute on runway (weather permitting)
7:30 am – “Bravo” flight departs for Dulles Airport; water cannon salute on runway (weather permitting)
9:00 am – 10:00 am (ET) – Flights arrive at Dulles Airport, load buses for DC tour
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm (ET) – Return to Dulles Airport, load planes for departure back to MKE
8:00 pm (CT, approximate) and 9:30 pm (CT, approximate)
Return flights land, veterans deplane for parade through the airport’s main concourse. The Wilmot High School Band and the Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School Cheer Team will provide spirit and entertainment for the Homecoming parade.
Spectators are encouraged to attend the homecoming celebration.
We are so happy to see Jim Maersch, Navy, on the honor flight. He is truly a dedicated vet who honors his peers by extending military rites at funerals, and parades. He extends kindness to all and continually serves our community. We belong to the Jim Maersch Fan Club.
Nancy and Jerry Mehring
For sure! Jim Maersch is one who deserved to be on an Honor Flight! For all he has done for our community through Scouting, church, funerals…I think there are many who are part of the Jim Fan club!