Wheels up Saturday for Wiregrass Honor Flight

When Bob Bunting left Ozark’s Mayor’s seat, he envisioned a comfortable retirement full of grandchildren and easy chairs.

But for the past several months, much of Bunting’s time has been taken up with the myriad of details necessary to put together the Wiregrass Honor Flight, a program designed to fly World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. to view the World War II Memorial.

Related:

Complete coverage of Wiregrass Honor Flight.

To help out: Fundraising efforts are continuing for future Honor Flights. For more information visit www.wiregrasshonorflight.org.

The board officially launched its effort in January, and raised more than $16,000 in the first week. Almost 70 World War II veterans applied for a seat on the flight in the first few days, making it abundantly clear that there would be a need for a second — and probably a third — Wiregrass Honor Flight.

Local veterans organizations, civic clubs and other groups joined in the fundraising effort. Some 90 World War II veterans and many guardians will leave Dothan Regional Airport Saturday at 7:30 a.m. in a Miami Air Boeing 737. After visits to the Memorial and Arlington Cemetery, the flight will return to Dothan at approximately 8:05 p.m.

The board set an initial fundraising goal of $120,000 and continues to seek funds for the additional flights.

Ashford Elementary School recently began a fundraising effort with a goal of $350, the approximate cost of sending one veteran to Washington. Tuesday, the school will present a check for near $4,000 for the Honor Flight.

“Stuff like that touches my heart and makes me want to cry like a kid. And I do some time,” said Jim McGhee, director of communications for Wiregrass Honor Flight. “We are very blessed to have such wonderful people in the Wiregrass.”

The flight itself is a logistical marvel. Veterans on the first flight range in age from 79 to 98, and 28 are wheelchair-bound. Since there is no jetway at Dothan Regional Airport, a special ramp had to be designed to allow the wheelchair veterans to board.

Meanwhile, an additional 20 wheelchairs have been acquired in case some of the remaining veterans are unable to make the full trip walking.

Also, each wheelchair-bound veteran is required to have a guardian accompanying him or her on the trip. Many other guardians are required to assist the other veterans during the trip.

The board made sure some of the guardians were doctors and nurses in case there was a medical need on the flight. Veterans were asked to fill out detailed applications that listed medical conditions, prescription medications and other information in case of emergency.

Upon arrival at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, three chartered buses await to carry the veterans to the Memorial. A boxed lunch will be served to the veterans at the Memorial, then they will travel to Arlington Cemetery before heading back to the airport and back to Dothan.

“It’s an amazing undertaking and a more amazing experience, one I wouldn’t trade for anything,” McGhee said.

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You are invited:
The public is invited to attend a welcoming ceremony for the veterans returning from Saturday’s Wiregrass Honor Flight. The event will take place in the rental car parking lot to the left of the Dothan Regional Airport terminal. People are asked to begin assembling at 7:30 p.m. The flight is scheduled to return at 8:05 p.m.