Never Forgotten Honor Flight flew 93 local vets to Washington D.C. in 57th trip

WOOD COUNTY – The Never Forgotten Honor Flight organization, based in Wausau and serving Marathon, Portage, Wood, Clark, Taylor, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas, Iron, Barron, Price and Rusk counties, flew 93 veterans — 85 Vietnam and eight Korea era veterans — from central and northern Wisconsin to Washington, D.C. to see the memorials that honor their service on Sept. 21. It was the organization’s 57th flight since the first Never Forgotten Honor Flight took place April 4, 2010.
Some of the local veterans on this flight included Vicki Dickman, a Vietnam-era Army vet from Nekoosa; Marlin Anderson, a Korea Navy vet from Nekoosa; Gordon Gottbeheut, a Vietnam-era Navy vet from Nekoosa; Wayne Brown, a Vietnam-era Army vet from Wisconsin Rapids; David Keating, a Vietnam-era Air-Force vet from Wisconsin Rapids; Kenneth Seif Sr., a Vietnam-era Air-Force vet; John Slattery, a Vietnam-era Army vet; John Totzke Sr., a Vietnam-era Navy vet from Wisconsin Rapids and David Yonkovich, a Vietnam-era Army vet from Wisconsin Rapids.
After Monday’s trip, the Never Forgotten Honor Flight has flown 5,482 veterans to Washington, D.C. All veterans that served prior to May 7, 1975, are encouraged to submit an application (via our website or by calling 715-573-8532). The only criteria for veterans to qualify for the Never Forgotten Honor Flight, is to have served (active duty, reserves or National Guard) prior to May 7, 1975, regardless of where they served.
Veterans receive a free round-trip flight, and guardians pay $500 for the opportunity to accompany one, two or three veterans on the trip. Veterans and guardians interested in taking a future Honor Flight must complete an application at www.neverforgottenhonorflight.com, or contact the organization at 715-573-8532. The veterans are selected based upon the order in which their applications are received and the conflict they served in. Priority is given to World War II era veterans, then Korea era Veterans and then Vietnam era veterans. Veterans who are terminally ill, regardless of when they served in those three eras, are given top priority. Guardians should be 18-69 years old and able to lend physical assistance to the veterans. Guardians cannot be a spouse or significant other. Veteran and guardian applications can be completed online or mailed to Never Forgotten Honor Flight, 225780 Rib Mountain Drive, #234, Wausau, WI 54401.
North Central Wisconsin’s Never Forgotten Honor Flight is the nation’s 77th regional hub (of 134 nationally) and one of five Wisconsin Honor Flight hubs. The Wausau-based organization was certified by the National Honor Flight Network office in Springfield, Ohio on December 11, 2009.