Twenty-five military veterans from various eras will take part in a Flightless Honor Flight later this month.
The event, which will include 25 veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam and other periods of service, will be held on Saturday, June 29. Of the veterans participating, 10 served in the Army, four in the Navy, nine in the Air Force and two in the Marine Corps. They are coming from The Villages, Lady Lake, Leesburg, Oxford, Eustis, Hernando and Ocala.
The traditional Welcome Home Celebration at the American Legion Post on Rolling Acres Road will begin at 2:45 p.m. Entertainment for the homecoming crowd will begin at 1 p.m. and will include The Villages Twirlers and Drum Corps, The Villages Cheerleaders, Clown Alley 179 and Ralph DiNome and his Flashback band. Everyone is invited to participate in the Welcome Home Celebration and is encouraged to bring a lawn chair and an American Flag.
Villages Honor Flight’s Flightless program began in September 2014 to give veterans who are unable to participate in a regular flight to Washington, D.C., the opportunity to share the experience. The Flightless program, through video technology and a little magic, recreates the entire experience of a normal mission – except for the actual flight to Washington, D.C. and back.
Each veteran will have a dedicated guardian, a preflight meeting to get the mission participants together for an orientation and some socialization, a special flight shirt and a squad-oriented social event.
Villages Honor Flight serves veterans in Sumter, Lake, Marion, Citrus and Hernando counties. For more information, veteran, guardian and volunteer applications, go to www.villageshonorflight.org.
