Midwest Honor Flight Reflections
It was a red-carpet welcome home for 85 military veterans, including several from the immediate KLEM-land area, who spent Tuesday in Washington D.C. on the 26th Midwest Honor Flight.
Dan Plueger, Commander of the Le Mars American Legion Post and Lieutenant on the Le Mars Police Department, served as one of the guardians for the flight. He said it was a special day for the veterans and the guardians. Plueger said one of the highlights was visiting the Vietnam Memorial.
The honor flight veterans flew home to a rousing welcome at Hawthorne Global Aviation at Sioux Gateway Airport. Plueger said it was the first welcome home for some veterans who served in the Vietnam War, but never received a thank you for their service to their country.
Describing the trip as an “opportunity of a lifetime,” he said there are people who served in the military during conflicts that feel they don’t deserve to go on these Honor Flights. The Legion Post Commander said it doesn’t matter if you were involved in a conflict or served state-side, everyone still contributed to the effort. He asked that these people reconsider going on a future Honor Flight, saying they won’t be disappointed.
