Honor Flight Long Island commemorates 2,000+ veterans flown

This May marks an important milestone for one Long Island veterans organization.

Honor Flight Long Island has announced that with this year’s Spring Flight, scheduled to take 46 veterans to visit their military memorials in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, May 4, the organization will commemorate having flown over 2,000 veterans.  

The first Honor Flight organization, founded by Earl Morse and Jeff Miller, formed in 2005. Since then over 130 Honor Flight “hubs” have been organized in various states, including the Long Island hub, which was started by the late Chris Cosich of Amagansett in 2007.

On that date, an early-morning Southwest flight to Washington, D.C. departing from Islip’s MacArthur Airport will take veterans and their guardians to visit World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War Memorials, then to Arlington National Cemetery for a Changing of the Guard, as well as a bus tour of Washington, D.C., giving them the chance to meet with service branch representatives, commiserate with fellow veterans, and exchange stories.

Veterans and their guardians will return to Islip that evening for a rousing welcome by the Nassau County Firefighters Pipe and Drum Band, attended by veterans’ family, friends and supporters.

“What this flight really represents is a ‘big hug’ to all veterans from Honor Flight, their families and supporters, who make such flights possible,” HFLI president Bill Jones said in a written statement.

According to Jones, Southampton Supervisor Maria Moore will also be serving on this flight as a guardian.

“We’re proud she’s on board,” Jones’ said. “The Town [of Southampton] has supported HFLI since its beginning, getting us off the ground and ensuring our success. HFLI will be forever grateful for Southampton’s support.”

For information on the event, or to learn more about Honor Flight Long Island, visit www.honorflightlongisland.org.