For the 19th time since the inaugural Honor Flight on October 24, 2009, Honor Flight Savannah will sponsor 25 military veterans from coastal Georgia Friday through Sunday on a trip to Washington, D.C. to see the various war memorials built and dedicated to honor their service and sacrifices in past wars. 

Three of the 25 honorees are from Liberty County, according to Marian Spears with Honor Flight Savannah. They are retired Army NCOs who served during the Vietnam era: Master Sgt. Angel R. Rivera, Master Sgt. Merril V. Vanhouten, Jr., and Sgt. Robert Hall Haworth.

These veterans will also view the Changing of Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Arlington Cemetery. 

The 25 veterans departing Friday brings Honor Flight Savannah’s total number of World War II and Korean and Vietnam War veterans being honored to more than 1,200.

The initial Honor Flight Program was at the national level in 2005.  It targeted World War II veterans.  The target audience was expanded to veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars in 2013.

Veterans travel by charter bus.  Transportation, meals and lodging are free to participating veterans.

The Honor Flight Network has transported thousands of veterans from across the United States. 

Honor Flight Savannah’s market includes Coastal Georgia and South Carolina’s Low Country.  Friday’s trip includes one veteran of World War II, four from the Korean War, one from the Cold War (post Korea) and 21 from the Vietnam War.