Honor Flights emotional for WWII veterans

COLUMBUS -- Fritz Mihulka still gets emotional speaking about a November Honor Flight trip he took to Washington, D.C.

The World War II veteran stood in front of a crowd at a Sertoma meeting Wednesday at the New World Inn reminiscing, but couldn’t finish his thoughts as tears came when he talked about the Heartland Honor Flight.

The Columbus man was one of three WWII veterans who were at the meeting, along with guest speaker Bill Williams, volunteer coordinator of the flights. The Heartland Honor Flight sends WWII veterans from the state to Washington, D.C., for free.

The vets spend a day touring sites, including the WWII Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, Korean War Memorial, U.S. Air Force Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, with the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Five flights have taken place from Nebraska, the first was in May and the last in November. More are scheduled for April. There have been 750 Nebraska WWII veterans on the flights and about 950 are on a waiting list.

Only about 5 million of the 16 million Americans who served in WWII are alive today. With an average of 1,500 those veterans dying each day, Williams said the program is important because it gives acknowledgment to those members of the “greatest generation.”

“I want them (the veterans) to realize people recognize their service and their fight for our democracy,” Williams said.

To ensure that as many veterans as possible who registered for the flights are able to go, donations are being taken to fund the flights. It will cost about $100,000 to cover the expenses of the veterans. Anyone interested in making a donations can send it to: Heartland Honor Flight-VFW, P.O. Box 4552, Lincoln, NE 68504.

Williams, of Omaha, got the program off the ground in Nebraska after reading an article about the Honor Flight program which is active in several other states. He said being a part of the program has been an honor and a privilege. He has met hundreds of veterans like Mihulka, and Bob Jaeggi and Bob Nickels, both of whom were also at the Wednesday meeting.

The men, who are all in their 80s, said they wouldn’t have had the opportunity to see the WWII Memorial if it wasn’t for the Honor Flight.

“I will never forget it for as long as I live,” Jaeggi said.

For more information about the program, visit www.heart

landhonorflight.com.