Election Day spent in the company of heroes during Whiteside Honor Flight to D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Election Day took on a special meaning for those who spent Tuesday in the company of American heroes.

“They all fought for that freedom,” said retired Army Lt. Col. Stephen Garrington, commander of Honor Flight of the Quad Cities 55, which took a contingent of veterans from Whiteside County to the nation’s capital.

Garrington said this was the first time an Honor Flight from the Sauk Valley was timed to coincide with an election day.

The flight left early Tuesday and carried 102 veterans and their guardians to the nation’s capital. The group was mostly veterans of the Korean and Vietnam-era conflicts.

The Honor Flight program allows veterans to visit memorials dedicated to honoring the sacrifices of their comrades.

Yet, it was they who were honored during the sendoff and during their arrival.

The veterans arrived at the airport by 5:30 a.m., when the lunar eclipse was ongoing. Patriot Guard Riders greeted them with flags, and supporters provided donuts and coffee.

After a 90-minute flight, they received a boisterous welcome at Dulles International Airport from schoolchildren, athletes and patriotic residents.

As their adventure got underway, they received a police escort to various sites.

Garrington, meanwhile, shared his historical knowledge of the city and monuments with those in his charge.

At the Illinois pillar of the World War II Memorial, the Whiteside County veterans held a small service.

Destinations include the National Air and Space Museum, followed by stops at the World War II, Korean, Vietnam, Iwo Jima, Marine Corps, Air Force, Lincoln and Women’s memorials.

They also witnessed the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

The Whiteside group arrived for a special 40th anniversary ceremony commemorating the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, better known as The Wall. Volunteers were in the midst of reading aloud the names of the deceased, an observance that takes 65 hours to complete over four days.

Honor Flight of the Quad Cities sponsors four trips each year for veterans within a 75-mile radius, all for free.

The orientation and the flight itself was made possible with the generous support from the Whiteside County Honor Flight Committee, American Legion Posts 902 and 296 and the auxiliaries, Wiersema Charter Services Inc., Ridgecrest Retirement Village, Quad City International Airport, Patriot Guard Riders, Pilot Club, Walgreens Photo Department, volunteers and donations from supporters.

To learn more or to apply, visit honorflightqc.org.