A Howes Cave man hopes to organize regular trips for local World War II veterans to see the World War II monument in Washington DC.
Greg Furlong is looking to form a chapter of the Honor Flight Network, a national group that flies aging veterans to the DC monument.
If he can’t form a local chapter, Mr. Furlong will help veterans reach the monument through Patriot Flight 2008, an Honor Flight chapter in Troy.
There will be a meeting to gauge public interest at the meeting room at the Office for the Aging at the Schoharie Business Park this Thursday, the 10th, at 7:30pm. All are welcome.
“We’re looking for anyone who’d like to help organize and coordinate this,” Mr. Furlong said.
He learned of Honor Flight through local news stories.
“I felt it was something I wanted to do,” said Mr. Furlong, who is not a veteran. “I feel we owe a debt to all veterans. You don’t need to be a veteran to appreciate what they’ve done.”
“It’s a little more urgent for World War II vets because we’re losing a lot of these guys every day.”
A local chapter would help identify World War II vets, organize flights to Washington and raise money for the trips.
“It’s strictly volunteer, not-for-profit,” Mr. Furlong said. “Nobody takes a nickel.”
He’s in the process of contacting local veterans’ groups, along with Elks lodges and the Office for the Aging. Mr. Furlong also hopes to put together a flight as early as June.
As planned, the one-day trip would start with a flight from Albany, a trip to the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Wall, Korean Memorial, Iwo Jima statue, Arlington National Cemetery and other sights. It would also include meals before the flight back that night.
Several chaperones would accompany the vets.
Fundraising would cover the cost for veterans. Mr. Furlong estimated the cost would be about $235 per person, though he thought it could go higher because of increased fuel costs.
Whether a local chapter started in time for a June flight “depends on the response here,” Mr. Furlong said.
The response in Troy has been strong. Although started only recently, Patriot Flight 2008 has raised $20,000, according to founder Bill Peak.
And supporting the effort is logical, he said, because the monument was dedicated only four years ago, when veterans were already elderly.
“There were 16 million World War II veterans, and only 3 million are left,” he said. “Most of them are so old they can’t get to the monument. What good is it if they can’t see it?”
Patriot Flight 2008 is making its first trip this month and another in May.
“There are a lot of things to organize––wheelchairs, meals, access,” Mr. Peak said. “Once we go through it, we’ll know a little more.”
He said the logical progression is to have the Schoharie County group as a satellite of his Troy organization.
“Greg’s group would do the legwork and we’d be the hub,” he said.