FORT WAYNE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ind. — Honor Flight Northeast Indiana held the first all Purple Heart recipient Honor Flight at the 122nd Fighter Wing on Aug. 7, 2023, with 102 veterans in attendance. The Honor Flight Network is a national nonprofit organization that transports veterans to Washington, where they tour memorials, share experiences and honor the fallen.
This year, on Purple Heart Day, the Honor Flight Network chose to specifically honor those who received the decoration, which is only given to those wounded or killed in the line of duty.
“This is a big deal,” said Dennis L. Covert, former president of Honor Flight Northeast Indiana and Army veteran. “This is a great way for us to recognize and honor our veterans for their service to our country.”
For some veterans this is the welcome home that they never received. After feeling the warmth of cheerful greetings and kindness from volunteers, they say it makes all the difference.
Larry Roberts, a Vietnam War Army veteran, remembers returning home to a different climate, than the one presented. Sporting a ball cap decorated with a Purple Heart medal in the center, he explains that he earned the award after hitting a mine in his tank. The tank commander passed away in the attack and Roberts injured his leg.
“It means a lot,” said Roberts. “Especially to my kids and grandkids, I didn’t get to see my child being born. He was a year old when I got to see him.”
Recalling the external and internal trials during his service, Roberts shares that this event was an important way to honor those who served and made similar sacrifices. As veterans around him shared stories, laughs and smiles, Roberts says he looks forward to meeting and reconnecting with fellow service members.
Participants started their morning with breakfast at the base dining facility where volunteers served them meals. Volunteers from the Honor Flight Network and United Service Organizations, more commonly known as USO, arrived early in the morning to prepare meals for participants, decorate and make other arrangements.
“I think you’ll find that all the people involved with Honor Flight, the staff, the volunteers, they’re all very dedicated and committed to doing this,” said Covert. “There’s no salaries, there are no expense accounts. Everybody’s doing it because they want to do it.”
Veterans spanning from the Korean War to the War in Afghanistan attended, many with family members by their side through the trip. Including volunteers, 189 people took off to the district at around 8:00 a.m. They will return to Fort Wayne, Indiana late at night the same day.
“It’s our honor to play a very small part of your day,” said Col. Joshua C. Waggoner, 122nd Fighter Wing commander. “Any thing that I’ve done in my career or the people at the 122nd have done in theirs, pales in comparison to what you’ve done for our country to keep our community safe.”
This year, on Purple Heart Day, the Honor Flight Network chose to specifically honor those who received the decoration, which is only given to those wounded or killed in the line of duty.
“This is a big deal,” said Dennis L. Covert, former president of Honor Flight Northeast Indiana and Army veteran. “This is a great way for us to recognize and honor our veterans for their service to our country.”
For some veterans this is the welcome home that they never received. After feeling the warmth of cheerful greetings and kindness from volunteers, they say it makes all the difference.
Larry Roberts, a Vietnam War Army veteran, remembers returning home to a different climate, than the one presented. Sporting a ball cap decorated with a Purple Heart medal in the center, he explains that he earned the award after hitting a mine in his tank. The tank commander passed away in the attack and Roberts injured his leg.
“It means a lot,” said Roberts. “Especially to my kids and grandkids, I didn’t get to see my child being born. He was a year old when I got to see him.”
Recalling the external and internal trials during his service, Roberts shares that this event was an important way to honor those who served and made similar sacrifices. As veterans around him shared stories, laughs and smiles, Roberts says he looks forward to meeting and reconnecting with fellow service members.
Participants started their morning with breakfast at the base dining facility where volunteers served them meals. Volunteers from the Honor Flight Network and United Service Organizations, more commonly known as USO, arrived early in the morning to prepare meals for participants, decorate and make other arrangements.
“I think you’ll find that all the people involved with Honor Flight, the staff, the volunteers, they’re all very dedicated and committed to doing this,” said Covert. “There’s no salaries, there are no expense accounts. Everybody’s doing it because they want to do it.”
Veterans spanning from the Korean War to the War in Afghanistan attended, many with family members by their side through the trip. Including volunteers, 189 people took off to the district at around 8:00 a.m. They will return to Fort Wayne, Indiana late at night the same day.
“It’s our honor to play a very small part of your day,” said Col. Joshua C. Waggoner, 122nd Fighter Wing commander. “Any thing that I’ve done in my career or the people at the 122nd have done in theirs, pales in comparison to what you’ve done for our country to keep our community safe.”
