Last World War II Veterans Honor Flight on Tuesday

CHEYENNE – Honor Flight Wyoming will send  the final group of Wyoming’s World War II veterans on a two-day trip to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday and Wednesday.

This will be the sixth and final trip to the Nation’s Capitol sponsored by Honor Flight Wyoming, a non-profit foundation. A charter aircraft will carry more than 160 veterans, guardians, and staff to visit the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The public is invited to a community farewell ceremony for Wyoming’s World War II veterans at 7:45 a.m. on Oct. 11, at Cheyenne’s Ice and Events Center at 1530 W. Lincolnway.

Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen will speak.

The Cheyenne police will escort the veterans’ motorcade to the Wyoming Air National Guard. Veterans will be transported on school buses and trolleys, accompanied by World War II re-enactors in military vehicles and members of the Patriot Guard motorcycle group.

Partnering with the Wyoming Veterans Commission and numerous individual and group volunteers, Honor Flight Wyoming provided free trips to more than 600 Wyoming veterans. Guardians are matched with veterans on a 3:1 ratio in most cases and donate $800 to make the trip. The money goes directly to covering costs for the veterans.

The group will depart from Cheyenne on the charter aircraft from the Small Air Terminal at the Wyoming Air National Guard base.

The public is also invited to welcome the veterans home in the Cheyenne Regional Airport terminal at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

For more information, call the Wyoming Veterans Commission at 307-777-8152.