Honor Flight Long Island, the iconic volunteer-run Veterans’ organization, is proud to announce the resumption of bi-annual flights to Washington, D.C., after two years of pandemic-related restrictions.

HFLI’s first scheduled flight on Saturday, June 4, 2022, will take 40 United States Veterans to visit their military memorials, meet with service branch representatives, commiserate with fellow veterans and exchange stories.

Honor Flight’s mission is to honor fellow Long Islanders who gave all to defend the United States and preserve our freedoms, by providing free, one-day trips so Veterans can visit D.C.

According to Bill Jones, HFLI President, West Point 1972 Graduate and U.S. Army Veteran, “This special flight includes 37 Vietnam War Veterans who will receive long-overdue recognition and thanks for their service. They’ll be accompanied on this flight by three elder comrades, World War II Veterans of the ‘Greatest Generation.’ What this flight really represents is a ‘Big Hug’ to all our Veterans from Honor Flight, their families and supporters who make such flights possible,” Jones added. (Editors: Please feel free to contact Bill Jones for additional quotations at 631-276-8825.)

Thanks to HFLI, these 40 veterans will take a free, early-morning Southwest flight to Washington D.C. Departing from Islip MacArthur Airport at 6:15 a.m., veterans and their guardians will visit WWII and Vietnam Memorials, Arlington National Cemetery for a Changing of the Guard, and the Iwo Jima Memorial.

They return to Islip later that evening at 8:45 p.m. for a rousing welcome by the Eastern Long Island Police Pipes and Drums Band plus thunderous applause from hundreds of family and supporters!

HFLI is accepting applications from Veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Long Island Veterans are encouraged to sign up by going to the website, www.honorflightlongisland.org. It’s important to submit an application, as that will ensure placement on our list.

Veterans fly for free, thanks to donations from across Long Island. They are accompanied by Guardians, able-bodied volunteers who donate $400 (tax-deductible) to offset their travel costs. If there is no family member to act as a Guardian, Honor Flight has volunteers ready to step up for the privilege of escorting our heroes to their memorials. Questions can be answered by calling Jamie Bowden at (631) 702-2423 or by email at JBowden@southamptontownny.gov.

HFLI invites the news media to cover our special Veterans’ flight departure and return at Islip MacArthur Airport on Saturday, June 4, 2022. Flight departure from Islip MacArthur is at 6:15 a.m.

Suggested arrival time for media is 90 minutes prior to flight departure, for interviews and photography. Media should plan on arriving at Islip MacArthur one hour before the return flight lands at 8:45 p.m. Contact Robert F. Salant, Public Affairs, (718) 791-4758, rsalant123@outlook.com to confirm your participation.