Honor Flights from La Crosse set for May and September

The dates for La Crosse’s Freedom Honor Flights to Washington, D.C. have been chosen for 2019.

Dozens of area veterans and their chaperones will travel to D.C. on Saturday, May 18th, with a second group of vets scheduled to take an honor flight on September 14th, also a Saturday.

The organization which arranges the local freedom flights has averaged two day-trips a year between La Crosse and Washington since 2008.

One veteran of World War II has signed up for the May flight, along with several Korean War vets.

The WWII veterans originally made up the majority of travelers on the flights, but now most who are signed up served in the Vietnam era.

Dave Larsen, president of the La Crosse Honor Flight group, tells reporters that the day-long schedule for touring Washington doesn’t change much from one flight to the next.

However, in recent years, the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery also has become a regular stop on the Freedom Flight schedule.