On Saturday, September 28th, American Airlines Flight 9750, with service to Washington DC, took off from Syracuse Hancock International Airport. As you might expect, the Airbus A321 bound for the nation’s capital was jam packed with passengers, along with other items for the trip ahead.
But, this was no ordinary flight.
This was Honor Flight Syracuse: Mission 21. The passengers were local veterans and accompanying volunteers. And among the cargo on board, were some special letters and cards from area children, including some from the Camden Central School District.
The Honor Flight Syracuse program is a non-profit organization that provides a platform for veterans of the United States Armed Forces to visit Washington DC to see the monuments dedicated in their honor, and in honor of their comrades who unfortunately did not get the opportunity to come home from their service.
During a packed itinerary, they also visit significant locations in the area, such as the Pentagon, and the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. Special emphasis is placed on getting our remaining World War II veterans and veterans with life threatening illnesses, to these important places before they are unable to do so. All that Honor Flight has to offer is done at no cost to the veteran.
The Syracuse-area organization is part of a larger network dedicated to the cause, with over 120 hubs nationwide bringing veterans to Washington for a memorable day.
During each Honor Flight mission, the day is loaded with tributes to the service of the veterans on board. There are deeply moving arrival and departure ceremonies. The latter provides a proper and well-deserved “Welcome Home” that some veterans may not have gotten when they returned from their service.
There is also the traditional “Mail Call”, which is often regarded as a highlight of the day. Each veteran is given a bundle of cards and letters in recognition of their service, and Camden Middle School students had the honor of writing some of them.
Mrs. Brianne Willson’s 6th grade homeroom was up to the task. Her group of nearly 20 students put their total focus on heartfelt messages thanking this distinguished group for their meritorious service and tremendous sacrifice in defense of the United States and the principles the nation was built on. She was inspired to bring this program to the classroom by a close friend, Emily Costello. Costello is a nurse who does work with the VA, and volunteered to be part of the traveling medical staff for Mission 21.
Willson saw an opportunity to bring a valuable lesson to her students.
“The Camden community values its veterans and the sacrifices that they and their families made and continue to make for all of us,” Willson said. “It was important for me to share what the honor flight is and the importance it has for our veterans. In our homeroom discussions students learn about the memorials that the veterans would visit and also the importance of the thank you mail. They learned that many service members received little mail during their time in service. We also discussed how many veterans did not receive a kind welcome home after their service and this flight would give them the celebration they deserve. This was a great opportunity for students to learn something and show appreciation.”
For more information on Honor Flight Syracuse, visit https://honorflightsyracuse.org/
