Honor Flight at AirVenture 2011 Will Fly WWII Navy Veterans to D.C. Memorials

Southwest 737 to depart AirVenture grounds as part of ‘Navy Day’ festivities
May 26, 2011 EAA, Southwest Airlines, and Old Glory Honor Flight, Inc., have joined together to give World War II Navy veterans the opportunity to visit the powerful memorials dedicated in their honor with an Old Glory Honor Flight departing from EAA AirVenture 2011 on Wednesday, July 27, as part of “Navy Day” festivities.


The 59th annual edition of “The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration,” scheduled for July 25-31 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, will be filled with special attractions, appearances, and forums all week in celebrating the Centennial of Naval Aviation.


On the morning of Wednesday, July 27, a Southwest Airlines 737 aircraft will fly approximately 80 World War II veterans who served in the U.S. Navy from the AirVenture grounds to Washington, D.C. After a reception greeting them at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, the veterans will be taken on a day-long tour of memorials honoring the sacrifices they made preserving freedom. Those stops will include the World War II Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, and the National Naval Museum.


“We at Old Glory Honor Flight are very excited to have the opportunity to honor the World War II veterans of Northeast Wisconsin at AirVenture 2011,” said Drew MacDonald, Old Glory Honor Flight president. “With the generous support of EAA and Southwest Airlines, we are planning a very special tour for our heroes that is a perfect fit with AirVenture’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of naval aviation.”


The Old Glory Honor Flight veterans will return to AirVenture shortly after 6 p.m. on Wednesday, and receive a welcome home reception that many did not receive more than 60 years ago.


“The Old Glory Honor Flight at AirVenture in 2010 was memorable experience for all involved, which we hope to match and surpass as we pay tribute to very deserving Navy veterans,” said Tom Poberezny, EAA and AirVenture chairman. “We are honored to partner with Southwest Airlines and the Honor Flight Network, giving these heroes the opportunity to see the memorials dedicated to their service and allowing them to receive the recognition they deserve.”


The Old Glory Honor Flight, the Northeast Wisconsin hub of the Honor Flight Network, recognizes World War II veterans for sacrifices and achievements by providing a memorable, safe and rewarding tour of Washington, D.C., memorials at no cost.


Additional information on the Old Glory Honor Flight is available at www.oldgloryhonorflight.org. 


AirVenture 2011 will also feature tribute days dedicated to aviation legends Burt Rutan (Thursday, July 28) and Bob Hoover (Tuesday, July 26) as well as several attractions and events commemorating the 100th anniversary of air mail service.


Advance purchase admission tickets at a discounted rate as well as camping for all dates are now available at www.airventure.org/tickets. 


EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration and EAA’s yearly membership convention. Additional EAA AirVenture information, including advance ticket and camping purchase, is available online at www.airventure.org. EAA members receive lowest prices on admission rates. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 1-800-JOIN-EAA (1-800-564-6322) or visit www.eaa.org. Immediate news is available at www.twitter.com/EAAupdate.


EDITOR’S NOTE: Images of the Old Glory Honor Flight tour from AirVenture 2010 are available at EAA’s FTP website:
http://media.eaa.org          Username: eaamedia        Password: airventure2011

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