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The War Cry | NOVEMBER 2015
I
n 2008, the Quad Cities, a region of four counties in
Northwestern Illinois and Southeastern Iowa, formed
a local chapter of the Honor Flight Network. The
purpose of the Honor Flight of the Quad Cities (HFQC)
is to fly America's veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit
the memorials dedicated to honoring their sacrifices.
Of all of the wars in
recent history, it was
World War II that truly
threatened our very
existence as a nation
and as a culturally
diverse, free society.
According to the U.S.
Department of
Veterans Affairs, an
estimated 640 World
War II veterans die
each day. The time to express our thanks to these
brave men and women is running out.
HFQC gives top priority to WWII and Korean War
veterans and veterans with terminal illnesses. All
honor flights depart on a non-stop charter from the
Quad City International Airport to
Washington, D.C. and return the same
evening at approximately 10:00 p.m.
At the beginning of each Honor
Flight, The Salvation Army is there to
serve doughnuts and coffee to our
veterans as they prepare for their trip.
Volunteers dress in the uniform of the
Salvation Army donut girls, who
ministered to troops on the frontlines
beginning with World War I. This
prompts veterans to share stories of
the Salvation Army's overseas services
and care.
This is a fabulous opportunity to express gratitude and to
minister once again to our local and regional heroes who
were selfless in their
military duty, and to
allow another genera-
tion to hear of the love
these veterans have for
The Salvation Army.
One of the more
moving parts of the
Honor Flight involves
casket flags. If a veteran
passes away before the
flight, his or her tri-folded flag is,
with the permission of the family,
taken along on the flight. At the
corresponding war memorial in
Washington a service is held, the
flag is placed with honor near the
monument and a photo is taken
for the family.
On August 17, the Quad Cities
hosted the first ever Flightless
Honor Flight for veterans that for
whatever reason were unable to make the
flight. "The whole idea though is still to say,
look, you are appreciated," said Steve Gar-
rington, an Honor Flight coordinator.
This Honor Flight took 18 veterans of World
War II, Korea and Vietnam on a bus ride. Each
veteran was escorted by an active duty
service member from the U.S. Army's Rock
Island Arsenal. They visited several war
monuments around the Quad Cities and the
National Cemetery.
By Lieutenant Gregory M. Ehler
HONOR
FLIGHT
of the Quad Cities
Commemorate Veterans
Lieutenant Gregory M. Ehler
is a corps officer at
the corps community center in Moline, Illinois.
For those who can't make the trip, fl ags are placed near
war memorials in their honor.
ron nes
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