Thank you Don Cazentre and the Post-Standard/syracuse.com for a powerful story from Mission 22. And thank you Butch and Wally for your service! Read the story by clicking here.
”You’re all family when you’re over there”
Vietnam vet Ron Cihocki of West Leyden swept 15 miles of road every day for mines as a combat engineer. On the ground in Washington on Mission 22, Ron shared an emotional moment with us at the Vietnam wall as he talks about “my two guys” who didn’t make it home. Click here to watch …
Circle your summer calendar for July 19!
It started 10 summers ago, in 2015. The Whitney Memorial Poker Run quickly became one of our biggest annual fundraisers. Featured on the official poster for this year’s event is the “old Sarge” (our Dad). Natalie Dodson started the Poker Run in memory of her stepdad, Korean War veteran Richard Whitney. Richard passed away before …
”Too Many Wars”
Fred Wozniak flew Mission 22 with his son and guardian Rick. Click here to see what Fred had to say while on the ground in DC.
Vietnam vet recalls Tet Offensive
Butch Gaworecki and guardian Mike Barycki joined the other 81 veterans on Mission 22. Videographer Andy Robinson caught up with Butch at the Vietnam wall. Click here to see the interview.
If you ever think your gift to Honor Flight might not make a difference…take a listen
To send our veterans to Washington, Honor Flight Syracuse depends entirely on generous donations, small and large, throughout the year. Without your support, the flights simply couldn’t happen. We caught up with a few of the Mission 22 veterans who want you to know how much the experience means to them. Click here to listen.
”I lost a lot of brothers there…”
“I lost a lot of brothers there…but I had to be here for closure.” Vietnam veteran Wally Gaworecki Jr. flew Mission 22 with his guardian/son “Wally 3.” At the Vietnam wall, Wally shared a moment with videographer Andy Robinson:
Family Reunion at the Welcome Home
Rhonda Koskowski’s dad, Harold Farden of Sterling, went on Mission 22 with her brother, Jack Farden, as guardian. They had 21 family members at his Homecoming! Below is Rhonda’s text to her friend and Honor Flight volunteer Deb Henderson. (Rhonda is on the far left in the picture below). Harold Farden served with the Army …
”Very moving, very touching”
Dave Sanders of Auburn served us in the Navy from 1955-1975, during the Cold War and Vietnam era. He served on aircraft carriers assigned to anti-submarine squadrons. He flew Mission 22 with his guardian/grandson Ray Miles. Watch his reflection here.
Honoring Our Veterans, One Quilt at a Time
Michele Jachim Barrett It started with six quilts a little more than a decade ago. Two members of the Thread Bears Quilters’ Guild sewed a special memento for veterans they knew who were traveling on Honor Flight Syracuse’s (HFS) inaugural mission. The veterans’ emotional reactions after receiving the quilts made it clear this gesture had a deeply …