Central Missouri Honor Flight’s last ride held Monday
Nia Hinson
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia will welcome home 70 area veterans Monday night after a day trip to Washington D.C.
Central Missouri Honor Flight’s embarked on its 71st and final flight Monday morning, a trip that gives veterans the opportunity to see memorials in Washington D.C. years after their service. 69 Vietnam veterans are on board the flight, as well as one Korean war veteran.
Honor Flight is asking the public to attend the veteran’s arrival Monday night at the Columbia Courtyard by Marriott, located at 3301 Lemone Industrial Dr.
Spokesperson for the group Shelley Becker told ABC 17 News via text message Monday afternoon that the buses are expected to arrive in Columbia around 10 p.m. Although, the public is encouraged to arrive around 8:30 p.m.
According to Becker, hundreds of motorcyclist are planning to stage at the Firefighters Memorial in Kingdom City ahead of the veterans’ arrival. Greeting and crowd announcements will also be conducted when the buses arrive at the 174 mile-marker on Interstate 70 near Hermann and the buses will slow down near Kingdom City as they are escorted, Becker said.
“Tonight is all about these 70 veterans who have waited a long time to get closure,” Becker said.
Since launching flights in 2009, Central Missouri Honor Flight has taken nearly 5,600 veterans on flights to the nation’s capital.
Organizers told ABC 17 News on Sunday that a lack of applicants, as well as rising costs played a role in the organization deciding to stop the flights.
Check back for updates.