Honor Flight Pittsburgh: Serving veterans in a meaningful way
Courtesy of Honor Flight Pittsburgh
Area veterans spend the day together, touring the monuments in Washington, D.C., during a trip sponsored by Honor Flight Pittsburgh. The 100% volunteer nonprofit, founded in Pittsburgh in 2016, is part of a national organization that began in 2005.
Courtesy of Honor Flight Pittsburgh
A veteran reads the names listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., during a trip made possible through Honor Flight Pittsburgh. Each year, the nonprofit hosts two trips to the nation鈥檚 capital.
Veterans receive a warm welcome home after spending the day in Washington, D.C., enjoying good food and company while touring the monuments. Honor Flight Pittsburgh ensures that its two annual trips end with the welcome home many area veterans never received.
What began as a short trip to Washington, D.C., has blossomed into a nonprofit that serves area veterans in a sentimental, meaningful way.
In 2013, George Pry, founder and president of Honor Flight Pittsburgh, and his wife, Maria, took Maria鈥檚 grandfather to the nation鈥檚 capital to receive an award from the French government for service during World War II. Following the awards ceremony, the Pry family visited the D.C. memorials.
鈥�(My grandfather-in-law) saw another gentleman wearing a hat from the same 4th Armored Division that he was in. They never met before, but they were from the same unit. They started talking,鈥� said George Pry.
Three hours later, the veterans were still swapping stories, enjoying the company of someone with similar experiences.
When Pry鈥檚 grandfather-in-law passed away, Pry thanked the Honor Guard for attending the funeral and asked if anyone present had been down to see the memorials in D.C.
鈥淓very one of them said no, they鈥檇 never had a chance to go,鈥� said Pry. 鈥淚 said, I know there鈥檚 this organization that does this stuff. We looked into it and found out there was no Pittsburgh branch. The closest Honor Flight was Cleveland.鈥�
So Pry set to work, officially bringing Honor Flight to Pittsburgh in 2016. Twice annually, the nonprofit, comprised solely of volunteers, takes two to three deluxe motor coaches filled with area WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans to Washington, D.C., where vets spend the day visiting memorials, sharing stories and, sometimes, educating younger generations.
鈥淲hat stands out the most to me is the tremendous amount of support from all kinds of people,鈥� said Pry. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l see kids of all ages, adults of all ages, greet and show total respect to these veterans. (One time), there was a big protest going on in D.C. A bunch of the young adults were walking by with these signs. As soon as they saw this group of veterans sitting there or walking around the memorials, all of a sudden they put their signs down, walked over and thanked the veterans. A group of 10 college-aged students, sitting there and talking to this group of veterans. They fight for us to have the rights we have. That鈥檚 why they went, to keep the United States of America exactly what it is.鈥�
Pry said for many veterans, particularly those who fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars, the return home was without fanfare. Honor Flight Pittsburgh plans for veteran organizations, local ROTC groups, fire and police departments to be on-site when the nonprofit鈥檚 buses return home from D.C., to give a warm welcome and genuine thanks to those who served.
鈥淲e all think that they had that great welcome home. You think of the ticker-tape parade (in New York) that you鈥檝e seen pictures of. Most of them didn鈥檛 have that. Most of them got a quick hug. I鈥檝e heard story after story where veterans came home and didn鈥檛 have a ride back from the airport or the train station,鈥� said Pry. 鈥淥ur mission is to make sure that any and every American war veteran has an opportunity to see the memorials built in their honor, completely free of charge to them. If people are willing to be there when we bring these veterans home, to give them the welcome they never experienced, I think that would be wonderful.鈥�
Honor Flight Pittsburgh is in need of a welcome home committee of sorts, to greet veterans when they get off the bus at home after a day in Washington, D.C. The nonprofit is also seeking guardians to accompany veterans on their trip to D.C., where they spend the day with a small group as the men and women heal at WWII, Korean and Vietnam memorials. Guardians are required to cover the cost of their trip, to ensure all money fundraised for and donated to Honor Flight Pittsburgh goes directly to the veterans themselves. Those interested may sign up to be a guardian online.
The nonprofit is also in need of monetary donations to cover the cost of trips, snacks for enjoying on the long bus ride, and lunch at the monuments. Donations may be made online any time throughout the year at https://www.honorflightpittsburgh.org/donate.
War veterans interested in road-tripping to D.C. with Honor Flight Pittsburgh may complete an application online.
The trips to D.C. are at the moment limited to veterans who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, but will be expanded to include those who served in Iraq, when that monument is completed, said Pry. The trips are important; they give veterans a chance to sit with memories, work them out, and heal.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a special time for them to just step back and let them visit the names on the wall,鈥� he said.
For more information on Honor Flight Pittsburgh, visit https://www.honorflightpittsburgh.org/.