Honor Flight Syracuse has been bringing veterans to war memorials at the country’s capital for nearly a decade, but the pandemic put a stop to those trips, causing some veterans to miss out.
To make sure everyone gets their chance, Honor Flight Syracuse is bringing the trips to those military men and women virtually.
Val DeVisser is one of those veterans, having served six years in the military, saying he’d want to pay remembrance to others who sacrificed alongside him.
“I was discharged a few months before Vietnam heated up and so I want to see any names on there I might know,” said DeVisser.
Unfortunately, Val and the other veterans who live at the Mohawk Valley Health System Rehabilitation and Nursing Center will probably never get to. That’s because their health has declined in the last two years and they weren’t able to travel during the pandemic.
Instead, members of Honor Flight Syracuse brought the trip to them. They were thanked for their service, given handmade quilts and letters.
“I’m going to cherish this. I’m going to certainly open this and it bring tears. It’s just wonderful,” said veteran Tom Norton.
It was a short, but memorable trip. These veterans will not only be remembered for their service, but for being part of the first mission of Honorary Honor Flight.
Eighteen veterans were recognized at MVHS, and 1,000 vets have traveled to Washington D.C., thanks to Honor Flight Syracuse.
