Wyoming hosts final Honor Flight

  • Published
  • By Army Col. Larry Barttelbort
  • Honor Flight operations officer
CHEYENNE, Wyo. --  Honor Flight Wyoming is a non-profit Wyoming corporation with a single mission to provide Wyoming's World War II veterans with a trip of a lifetime to visit their memorials in Washington, D.C., at no charge to the veteran.

The Wyoming Veterans Commission has partnered with Honor Flight Wyoming to provide these unique trips to more than 500 Wyoming veterans.

Honor Flight Wyoming's last flight departed from Cheyenne, Wyo., Tuesday and returned to Wyoming Wednesday. This flight included veterans from Nebraska, Montana and Wyoming.

"F. E. Warren Air Force Base Airmen have been very generous with their time and talent to assist the members of the greatest generation who have come from across Wyoming to make the trip," said Mike McGee, Honor Flight president. "Airmen have helped greet the veterans when they arrive at the hotel, listen to their stories, help with luggage, provide a steady hand as the veterans make their way up and down stairways, and assist them in and out of vehicles."

More than 16 million served in uniform during World War II. One thousand of these heroes pass away every day.

"We stand on the shoulders of our World War II veterans who led the way for us to follow in service to our nation," said Lee Alley, Honor Flight senior guardian and Wyoming Veterans Commission vice chairman.