News
Amesville Veteran Selected For Honor Flight
By: Sara Brumfield | Athens Messenger
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An Amesville Korean War veteran will be joining about 80 other veterans on a flight to Washington, D.C. on Saturday as part of an Honor Flight.
According to the organization’s website, the Honor Flight Network program was conceived by Earl Morse, a physician assistant and retired Air Force captain who wanted to honor the veterans he had cared for. The World War II Memorial was completed in Washington, D.C. in May 2004 and Morse reportedly asked his patients who served in the war if they planned to go visit “their” memorial. He realized that traveling to Washington wasn’t financially or physically feasible for many of the aging veterans.
Honor Flight was established as a way to provide free airline trips for World War II and other veterans to see the memorials and other sites in the nation’s capital. Through donations, including free tickets from Southwest Airlines, veterans are able to make the trip to honor their fallen comrades. The network is expanding, as there is a long waiting list of veterans wanting to take the trip.
Amesville resident Jim Lochary will be going on the last Honor Flight of the year, departing from Columbus Saturday morning. As a Korean War vet, he said it’s an honor to be chosen for the trip.
Priority for Honor Flights is given to WWII vets, as it is estimated that 640 World War II veterans die each day, according to the network’s website. Secondary priority is given to Korean and Vietnam veterans.
Lochary served in the military from 1952-1955. He recalls being stationed on a mountaintop at one point. “Sometimes it was fun; sometimes it was awful,” he laughed. “I had a good life in the service. I should have stayed in.” After the military, Lochary said he got married and began teaching school.
According to Lochary, Honor Flight reached out to him as a Korean veteran to see if he’d be interested in participating in the trip.
Lochary said it’s been a long time since he has visited Washington, D.C. and said he hasn’t seen the WWII memorial, Korean War memorial or seen the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery.
“It’s a distinct honor for me to go, to be chosen,” he said.
For information about Honor Flight, visit www.honorflight.org.