The war monuments in Washington, D.C., are Americaís way of saying thank you to our World War II, Korean and Vietnam veterans. By now, many of those veterans are well into their 80s and 90s and many have passed away. Considering their physical infirmities, there had to be a way for them to get to Washington to see their memorials. The Honor Flight Network was the solution.According to Honor Flight Networkís website, the group is a ìnonprofit organization created solely to honor Americaís veterans for all their sacrifices. We transport our heroes to Washington to visit and reflect at their memorials. Top priority is given to the senior veterans ñ- World War II survivors, along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill. Of all of the wars in recent memory, it was World War II that truly threatened our very existence as a nation ó and as a culturally diverse, free society. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, an estimated 640 World War II veterans die each day. Our time to express our thanks to these brave men and women is running out.îA 2015 CBS Early Show broadcast showcased the Honor Flight Network. It reported that the idea to create the Honor Flight Network originated in Springfield, Ohio, with Earl Morse and Jeff Miller.Morse, a physician assistant and retired U.S. Air Force captain, worked in a Department of Veteran Affairs clinic in Springfield. Miller, the son of a World War II veteran and nephew of a B-24 pilot who died in the war, had been a charter member of the National World War II Memorial Foundation.After the National World War II Memorial was completed in 2004, Morse realized many of his World War II patients would not be able to travel to Washington to visit their memorial. Morse, a pilot, offered to fly with two veterans to the capitol. In January 2005, he proposed the idea to about 300 private pilots at his local Air Force aero-club. He suggested the pilots would pay for the flights and personally escort veterans around the city. Eleven additional pilots volunteered.According to the Honor Flight Network website, by January 2005, a board was formed, funds were raised and other volunteers had joined. On May 21, 2005, six small planes flew 12 veterans to Washington for the first Honor Flight. A combination of small planes and commercial flights were used to transport a total of 126 World War II veterans that first year.The Honor Flight Network states they have flown 180,261 veterans to Washington, free of charge, since its inception in 2005. Additionally, 27,272 veterans are still on the waiting list: 2,747 World War II veterans, 8,507 Korean War veterans, 15,429 Vietnam War veterans and 589 other. The Honor Flight Network is present in 45 states, with 131 flight hubs.Colorado has an Honor Flight Network hub administered by the Honor Flight of Southern Colorado. According to its Facebook page, they have coordinated 11 Honor Flights and successfully transported 275 local World War II, Korean and Vietnam War veterans to Washington.One recipient of an Honor Flight is Colorado Springs resident Bonifacio ìBoniî Duran. He was a member of the Honor Flight of Southern Coloradoís 10th flight in October 2017. Duran said he served in the U.S. Navy, from 1949-1953 as a mechanic on the Navyís F4U Corsair aircraft. He was assigned to the Carrier Air Group 19/Task Force 77/ VF-193 Fighter Squadron during the Korean War.Duran said he enlisted in the Navy with his cousin and future brother-in-law right out of high school. They wanted to enlist together and had to wait for slots to open up. The Colorado Navy recruiter borrowed a position from the Wyoming recruiter and the three were off to boot camp in San Diego. Once out of boot camp, they didnít see each other until after the war.ìThe Korean War doesnít get as much attention as World War II and Vietnam,î Duran said. ìMaybe because it is considered as a conflict and easily overlooked. However, itís a war that is not forgotten by the people who served, fought; and the families who lost loved ones.ìWe lost 51 aircraft and 15 pilots. One really nice pilot, Ensign Shaughnessy, used to sit on the wing of the aircraft while we worked and talk with us. He was shot down on his last flight. He ejected cleanly from the Corsair but drowned when his parachute landed on top of him in the water.Another pilot had finished his tour and was waiting to go home. He took the place of a pilot who couldnít fly his own last flight. The aircraft didnít get enough lift on takeoff from the carrier and tumbled over the front. The carrier sailed over the top of him. Both the pilot and the plane were lost.îNow is his 80s, Duran enjoyed his Honor Flight. ìWe were bussed up to Denver and flown to Washington, D.C. The next day, they took us to see our monuments. It was a really great experience and brought back a lot of memories. We returned the next day to a big welcome home from family and friends. My grandkids were there, too.îIan Carney, the commander of American Legion Post 2008, said, îWe try to provide a really big welcome for the homecoming of the Honor Flight veterans. We have our American Legion Riders motorcycle club follow the bus from Denver back to the DoubleTree hotel here in the Springs. We provide the Patriot Guard flag detail and sometimes there is a bagpiper, too.ìMembers of Junior ROTC, the American Legion posts and Veterans of Foreign War post all combine to really give a large reception.îìMy time in the Navy and the Korean War is an experience I always think about,î said Duran, who is the current president of the Korean War Veterans Association.For more information on how to sign up for Honor Flight, contact the Honor Flight of Southern Colorado at 719-258-9946.
