Tuscaloosa Rotary Honor Flight to Take War Veterans to Washington, DC
Flight Departs @ 7:00 AM & Returns @ 8:10 PM
Wednesday, May 9, 2018 – Tuscaloosa Regional Airport
May 8, 2018, Tuscaloosa, Al – Vietnam War Veterans will have an opportunity for a one-day trip to Washington, DC, to visit their war memorials on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. Rotary Club trip organizers say the flight will include two WWII Veterans, two Korean War Veterans and 96 Vietnam War Veterans.
Since May 2010, The Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa has transported 663 World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War Veterans to Washington, DC. The eight trips have included stops at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, World War II and Korean War Memorials, Lincoln and FDR Memorials, Iwo Jima Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery Changing of the Guard, and the 911 Memorial at the Pentagon.
The group will depart from the Main Terminal at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport on a chartered Boeing 737 at 7:00 am on May 9 and will return that evening at 8:10 pm. Guardians and medical professionals who provide assistance as needed throughout the day will accompany the group. At the Baltimore airport a General from the Pentagon, military personnel and the local Honor Flight committee will greet the group.
From Baltimore the 168 person group will travel on three tour buses to the all the Memorials where their elected officials will meet them. At each stop throughout the day, tourists and fellow Veterans from around the country will recognize our Veterans. At the end of a long day, they will be welcomed home by a water salute from the local fire department and a walk down the red carpet to patriotic music and the cheers of a flag-waving hometown crowd at Tuscaloosa Regional Airport at 8:10 pm.
The trip is FREE for qualifying War Veterans. The Honor Flights are funded through generous donations from area companies, organizations, and individuals. Members of the Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa provide funding, resources and time to make the trips possible. Everyone is invited to bring family and friends to the Welcome Home Celebration at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport beginning at 7:30 pm.
For more information on signing up as a Veteran or Guardian or to make a tax-deductible contribution for the
May 9th Flight, phone or text Jordan Plaster at 205-310-7579 or email at jordanplaster64@gmail.com.
Tuscaloosa Rotary Honor Flight Board of Directors
Jordan Plaster – Chairman Alan Hartley – Treasurer
Clark Swail Becky York Harry Shumaker Blake Jackson Brad Springer Jack Pfaudler
Chuck Turner Ryan Stallings Katie Hancock David Albright Wade Drinkard Thomas Powe
James Shirley Nick Britto Lauren Forrest