KELOLAND.com

Local veterans getting set for Midwest Honor Flight

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The Midwest Honor Flight’s fifteenth mission will depart for Washington D.C. Tuesday morning.

Tomorrow, 84 local veterans are taking off on the trip of a lifetime.

“It’s a time to remember, especially this close to Memorial Day. It’s going to be something that might even get emotional when we’re there. There’s a lot of things to see, a lot of places I’d like to go,” Vietnam veteran Bill Van Horssen said.

“Now, to see the service monuments they have and the war monuments, I hope we get to see them all and to see it and be amongst all the veterans,” Vietnam veteran Francis Holter said.

For these vets, it’s humbling to be recognized by Midwest Honor Flight.

“It’s a blessing for us, and for so many more, too,” said Holter.

“I think it’s very important because, number one, I’ve never been to Washington D.C., so it’s an honor to do that. Number two, it’s humbling for people to spend a lot of time and effort to put this together, Midwest Honor Flight people, and I really appreciate what they’ve done to put it together,” said Van Horssen.

But, for Van Horssen, he’s excited about who he gets to share the trip with.

“The other thing I think is going to be great is I’m going to have an opportunity to go with my son and share with him some of the things we find,” Van Horssen said.

Those shared experiences will make the trip more memorable for both of them.

“I think he will get a different appreciation for where we’ve been, where we’ve come from, and what we need to do going forward,” said Van Horssen.

Midwest Honor Flight will host a welcome home ceremony at 9:30 P.M. tomorrow at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. Doors open at 7:30.