Washington Co., WI – Six veterans from Washington County will be participating in Saturday’s Stars & Stripes Honor Flight to Washington D.C.
The local veterans include WWII Army veteran Anthony Elsinger, Vietnam Army Lloyd Westerman of Kewaskum, Vietnam Army Thomas Foshag of West Bend, and Korea Army Eugenie Olsen of West Bend.
Vietnam Army Walter Kohler of West Bend and Vietnam Air Force Richard Lindbeck of West Bend will also be on the flight.
Walter Kohler was drafted in 1956. “I was honored I could do my part for my country,” said Kohler. He talked about receiving a good conduct medal and he scored pretty high with his shooting skills.
“When I came home, everybody was waiting for me and that made me feel pretty good. When you’re away from your family for almost two years it’s pretty nice to get back home,” he said.
Richard Lindbeck served in the U.S. Air Force. During his time in service Lindbeck was part of the military police in Saigon. He recalled being “shelled by the Vietcong” during his service in Vietnam. Lindbeck is a former alderman in West Bend and he served as the president of the Wisconsin Chapter of Vietnam Veterans.
Stars and Stripes Honor Flight’s 57th mission will take off on Saturday, August 28 when the “We Energies Stars and Stripes Honor Flight” and the “Newsradio 620 WTMJ Stars and Stripes Honor Flight” depart for the nation’s capital.
Two Allegiant Airlines A320 aircraft will leave Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport at approximately 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on flight day, bound for Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International (BWI) Airport with 102 local veterans (and their guardians) on board.
On that day, Stars and Stripes Honor Flight will welcome 4 WWII veterans, 33 Korean War veterans, and 65 veterans of the Vietnam War. All veterans, guardians and volunteers on the flight are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to participate.
Veterans taking their Honor Flight on August 28 include a Korean War Marine who fought in the terrible conditions at the Chosin Reservoir, two women who served during the Korean War, and two pairs of Vietnam veteran brothers who are taking their Honor Flight together.
The “alpha” flight is sponsored by We Energies, a longtime supporter of Stars and Stripes Honor Flight. “We are so grateful for the continued support of We Energies,” said Karyn Roelke, president of Stars and Stripes Honor Flight. “In addition to the financial support that makes this flight possible, We Energies employees are writing letters of thanks for our veterans, they volunteer to escort veterans on the flight, and they assist at the airport on flight day. Their willingness as an organization to support our veterans in a myriad of ways has been inspirational to us.”
The “bravo” plane is sponsored by Newsradio 620 WTMJ, who hosted a radiothon for Stars and Stripes Honor Flight in November of 2019 that raised more than $100,000. “WTMJ’s listeners, staff and leadership made this flight possible,” Roelke said. “Their generous support of our mission since 2009 has been nothing short of fantastic, and we are so glad to be sending a planeload of veterans to DC with the funds raised during the radiothon.”
After the planes land in Baltimore on flight day, the veterans will board coach buses to tour Washington DC’s WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Air Force Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Wall, and more. The day will also include viewing the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
As a special surprise for the veterans, Milwaukee’s Hoan Bridge will light up in a flag motif that evening, and the planes will fly over the bridge on approach to Mitchell Airport so the veterans can see the light display from the air. “We hope this fun surprise for our veterans on their Honor Flight day will remind them how much their entire community appreciates their service and sacrifices,” Roelke said.
While the veterans’ families and close friends are encouraged to attend the Homecoming parades at Mitchell Airport, the general public is asked to participate virtually, through Facebook. “The veterans’ families and our volunteers will give the veterans a Homecoming they will never forget,” Roelke said. “While we understand that the general public may be disappointed that they cannot participate in the Homecoming in person at this time, veteran safety is always our top priority.”
A federal TSA mandate dictates masks are required inside Mitchell Airport for all who attend the Homecoming.
Prior to the August 28 flight, Stars and Stripes Honor Flight has flown 7,606 local veterans on these trips to Washington DC since 2008, and has 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 $.97 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. Nationally, hubs in the Honor Flight Network have taken well over 225,000 veterans to see their memorials.
Timeline of activities for the Saturday August 28 Stars and Stripes Honor Flight:
4:30 am – Veterans and their guardians begin check in at Mitchell Airport’s main concourse
6:00 am – We Energies Honor Flight departs for Baltimore, water cannon salute on runway
7:30 am – Newsradio 620 WTMJ Honor Flight departs for BWI Marshall Airport, water cannon salute on runway
9:00 am – 10:00 am (ET) – Flights arrive at BWI Marshall Airport, load buses for DC tour
6:30 pm (ET) – Return to BWI Marshall Airport, load planes for departure back to MKE
7:52 pm (CT, approximate) and 9:22 pm (CT, approximate) – Return flights land at Mitchell Airport, veterans deplane for parade through the airport’s main concourse. The Kettle Moraine High School Band and the Brookfield East Spartanettes will provide spirit and entertainment for the Homecoming parades. Masks are required for everyone in attendance, and the general public is encouraged to participate virtually through Facebook.