Honor Flight 2024: Catching up with veterans on the morning of the flight

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WBOY) — After a nearly two-year hiatus, the Clarksburg Flight of Honor Flight Huntington to Washington D.C. took off on Saturday with a team of 12 News reporters on board alongside them.

Veterans, guardians and volunteers all woke up bright and early on Saturday to be at the airport by 4:30 a.m. This year, there was only one World War II Veteran, but there were four Korean War veterans and 92 Vietnam Veterans, all paired with one of the almost 80 guardians.

WWII veteran Francis Dalton will be turning 103 in a few weeks, and his guardian said this was going to be his first-ever flight.

“It feels pretty nice to be here,” Dalton said before the flight took off.

“It’s exciting, stayed up all night, couldn’t sleep, But I’m looking forward to it…I’m really going to enjoy myself,” said William Pierce, U.S. Army Veteran.

According to Honor Flight officials, about 50 percent of the guardians on this year’s flight were veterans themselves.

“As a veteran myself, I get to hear their stories too while we’re on the flight…sometimes you just don’t know who the heroes are that are walking among you and it’s a great opportunity to meet those folks,” said Dan Johnson, the Assistant Hub Director for Honor Flight Huntington.

The trip cost about $165,000, but veterans didn’t have to pay a dime. The original Honor Flight trip was created in 2005 for WWII veterans, however, it has now expanded to Korean and Vietnam veterans as well.

“It took me two years to get picked for this. My friend told me about it, I’m excited yes,” said Herb Efaw, a U.S. Army Veteran who served in the Vietnam War.

“I’m honored. Very, very honored. I’m sure that there’s probably a lot more worthy veterans out there than myself,” said U.S. Coast Guard Veteran Okey Eye, who served in the last leg of the Vietnam Era.

And for many of these veterans, there are certain monuments they looked forward to seeing the most, hoping for a sense of closure, even decades later.

“The Vietnam Wall since I was in Vietnam. I got a few names and friends that was killed over there,” said Efaw.

“The Korean Memorial, I think, ‘cause that’s what I’m interested in more…I’m sure there’s many young men that went—is on that memorial list that it’s awful that I can’t remember their names now and just to know that I served with them back then so I’ll probably cry all the way through it,” said Huelin Linger, a U.S. Army Veteran who served in the Korean War from 1952-1954.

Although the Korean War has been dubbed the forgotten war by some, Honor Flight officials said part of this journey is to show all veterans their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Honor Flight officials are already fundraising for next year’s flight, so if you are interested in donating, you can mail in your donations here:

Honor Flight
430 West Pike St.
Clarksburg, WV 26301

12 News will continue to bring you stories from the Honor Flight throughout the week.

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