The Honor Flight Network (HFN) is a national nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) that was started in 2005 by pilots who volunteered to fly World War II veterans to Washington, DC, to see the World War II Memorial. The Network’s mission statement is: “To celebrate America’s veterans by inviting them to share in a day of honor at our nation’s memorials.” HFN’s vision is “A nation where all of America’s veterans experience the honor, gratitude, and community of support they deserve.” Honor Flight teams work to educate the public on the service provided by our country’s men and women veterans and allow local citizens and organizations to express their gratitude.
Today, the Honor Flight Network has 125 hubs nationwide, working together to show American veterans the appreciation they deserve. Since 2005, over 317,128 veterans have participated in Honor Flight Network flights nationwide. Over 46,000 veterans are on a waiting list to participate in the all-expenses-paid program.
Each veteran selected for participation on a particular flight has a volunteer guardian to support them. Participants visit the memorials and monuments around the National Mall, including the World War II Memorial, Vietnam, Korea, Iwo Jima, Navy Memorial, and Air Force Memorial. Veterans also observe the Changing of the Guard at Arlington Cemetery.
Most participating veterans would not otherwise have had the opportunity to visit the memorials and take part in ceremonies honoring their service. Through these flights, veterans can socialize with other veterans, reminisce, and share their stories and experiences. Since the program began, eligibility for Honor Flight participation has opened to veterans from the Korean and Vietnam wars.
The original Honor Flight hub operated out of Wilmington from 2009 to 2010 and was called Honor Flight of Southeast North Carolina. It was re-established in 2020 with its new name, Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area (HFCFA). Its president, founder, and trip leader is Ruth Ravitz Smith. Smith volunteered for the national Honor Flight Organization in Washington, DC, where she lived. After moving to Wilmington in 2015, she dreamed of re-forming a hub here.
After three successful Honor Flights honoring over 200 local Veterans, HFCFA recently flew its fourth mission to DC. In the early morning of Saturday, April 26, 2025, the chartered 737 aircraft lifted into the skies above Wilmington International Airport bound for Washington.
On board were not the usual businesspeople, commuters, or vacationers but a very special group of passengers. Seventy-four veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam were on their way to see memorials built to honor their service to America. Most were about to visit those memorials for the first time. They are everyday people, brave souls, your neighbors who answered our nation’s call to serve.
The John E. Jacobs American Legion Post 68 Leland has supported the Honor Flight effort for several years by sponsoring Guardians to assist the selected veterans. John Hacker, 1st Vice Commander and the Post 68 lead for the Post’s Honor Flight program, recently remarked, “HFCA’s many wonderful volunteers coordinate the entire trip from takeoff to welcome-home ceremonies to make this a trip of a lifetime. I never received that appreciation on my return from Vietnam in 1968 – only hate-filled words shouted at us at that time.”
Post 68 provided four Guardians, Kobe Kelley, Bob Northrup, Joanne Britt, and Lane Adrian, for the most recent flight to accompany the veterans. Pictured right (L-R) are Kobe Kelley, Patty Kelley (selected flight veteran), Joanne Britt, and Lane Adrian.
For all participants, the day starts very early, usually marking the arrival of veterans, escorts, and guardians at Wilmington International Airport by 5 am for a 7 am flight to Washington, DC. It ends in the late evening after the return flight arrives to a boisterous welcome by residents and veterans of the greater Wilmington area.
Reflecting on the results of the most recent flight, Hacker continued, “There was huge support from community members who welcomed the veterans with signs, banners, and flags inside the Wilmington airport. The Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area was one of the most memorable single events in my life that I took in 2024 and will never forget, I encourage everyone to support your Cape Fear Honor Flight chapter. They do absolutely amazing work. They give each veteran an opportunity to visit the memorial dedicated to their service, but they do so much more than that – they help us heal from our experiences and the chaos in Washington.”
Next year, to accommodate more veterans for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, HFCFA will charter a larger aircraft, enabling 85 veterans to travel to the nation’s capital. To learn more about the Honor Flights and HFCFA or to make a donation, please visit https://www.honorflightcfa.org/.
To learn more about how veterans can join the American Legion or what the Legion brings to our veterans and the community, visit https://ncpost68.org/. Post 68 meets at 6 pm every third Thursday in the Blossoms Restaurant Banquet Room (1800 Tommie Jacobs Drive, Leland, NC). For those who want to participate, members gather at 4:30 pm in Blossoms Restaurant for dinner and a social hour preceding the meeting. The next Post meeting is scheduled for May 15, 2025.
