After our trip with Honor Flights Pittsburgh, as I tucked my 90 year old, WW11 Seabee in bed for the night, he said to me...." Chuck, since your Mom has passed, this was the BEST day of my life! RIP Sailor! I miss you and it was one of my best days ever as well!
For ten missions I have been honored to help with the welcome home events for honor flight Pittsburgh. The look on the veterans faces makes it all worth while. I think the entire experience can be summed up by the comment of a Vietnam vet that was caught on tape as the bus arrived for the welcome home. “ finally a real welcome home 40 years late”. I couldn’t put it any better!
My husband and I have been volunteering since mission #1 with this group. They are totally dedicated to doing the most they can to make each and every trip the best it can possibly be for the veterans. They are extremely organized and helpful to all. I would highly recommend anyone interested in volunteering to join this group. I try to encourage all eligible veterans to participate in a trip.
I attended the Honor Flight Pittsburgh trip on 10/8/22 with 4 of my Vietnam Veteran Brothers. It was the most wonderful experience that I have had in a very long time. It was the welcome home that I did not receive when I returned from Vietnam. The staff, caregivers, volunteers, workers, drivers and everyone from Honor Flight Pittsburgh who contributed to our trip were just outstanding. They made me feel welcome. The trip to Washington DC to see all of the Monuments was wonderful. When we returned from the trip, it was a very emotional, meaningful experience for me and all others. I am grateful for this experience that Honor Flight Pittsburgh provided to me. Sincerely, Dick Silk
This organization takes Vietnam Vets to the Washington DC monuments as a Thank You. The attention they give the veterans is amazing and it makes them feel so good. The coordination they do with friends and family before making the trip and the involvement of friends and families just doesn't stop. They get friends and family to write notes to the veterans and the note are given to the veterans on the bus on the way home. This kind of activity is amazing. Good service Honor Flight!!!
My father loved his Honor Flight Pittsburgh trip so much that he talked about it everyday, including the day he passed. It was a highlight of his final years of life. Normally not an emotional guy, I saw him brought to tears of joy many times during the trip. He was so overwhelmed by the kindness of everyone in DC, the many volunteers, and the hundreds of veterans he met that day. The entire experience was one that I hope ALL veterans get to experience at some point in their lives. Honor Flight will always have a spot in my heart.
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Honor Flight Pittsburgh was one of my father’s favorite experiences. He raved about the entire trip. It took some convincing as he was 88 years old but as soon as the trip started, I knew it was going to be one of the best days of his life. The trip was extremely organized. No stone was left unturned. We were in good hands at all times. The nurses were excellent and kept a close eye on everyone. Our trip organizers were the best. And the mail call on the ride home just made it all the more special. The homecoming was unbelievable. My father was so touched by well wishers all trip long. I lost my father in March 2020 and even on his last few days on this earth, we talked about Honor Flight. God bless everyone associated with this organization. I will never forget you all for your kindness.
I attended their last trip as a guardian. What an amazing organization!!! The Veteran's were treated with such love, honor and respect. Everything was so well planned out and I know the Veterans all had a wonderful time! They were so surprised by all the extras they did not know were coming and will treasure their memories forever!!! Thank you to all involved with this organization for caring for our Veterans!!!
After Vietnam, I went to work, got married, and had a family. Very few people knew I had been in Vietnam. Fifty years after my service, I met a veteran, VFW member, who convinced me to both apply for Honor Flight and join the VFW. Best choices I ever made. The trip was tremendous and the fellowship with other veterans, and the care and support of the volunteer Guardians on the trip was incredible. Our return from DC was what we all had missed after our Vietnam experience.
My father in law Joe was able to go on an Honor Flight trip in October 2017 with this organization. He is a veteran of the Korean War AND ALSO Desert Storm. My husband was able to serve as his Guardian. To this day, even 5 years later, Joe likes to look at his photos (we made an album of all the pictures my husband took) and thank you letters, and retell the stories of that day and his amazement at every aspect of the trip, from the pre- and post- welcomes/receptions, to greeters at the places they stopped, to breakfast on the turnpike and a special dinner at the VFW, the special escorts through DC that is akin to what the president receives, and all of the grateful citizens thanking these Vets everywhere they stopped. He still gets teary when he talks about it. This is a wonderful organization, providing a once in a lifetime experience and memory, for these old Vets who gave their all.
What an awesome experience this was for me. All your needs and wants were taken care of. This organization did a lot to make sure that the veterans on the trip were taken care of. I just cannot express in words how grateful I was for everything that they do and everything that they have been able to accomplish. If a veteran does not take advantage of this trip, all I can say is shame on you. You just don't know what you're missing until you take this trip.
Words cannot express this awesome event. There were many tears, hugs, and lots of love and appreciation shown to our veterans and even the guardians. Not only the veterans benefitted, the myriad of young people who participated benefited as well. What a learning experience for them. The organization, down to every minute detail, was phenomenal. Thank you Honor’s Flight Pittsburgh for this awesome event.
Truly a wonderful organization. They keep our veterans at the forefront of their minds where they should be kept due to their sacrifice. Never meet a better group of people in the board members.
I had a super time on honor flight #10 . Everyone was so nice and respectful to all of us veterans. I am telling all my veteran friends that they need to do an honor flight.
I had the honor of helping about 30 volunteers prepare bags for all the Guardians and Veterans going to Washington DC October 8, 2022. The volunteers and coordinators worked hard to fill the bags with T-shirts, snacks and information for the trip. We were so happy to be a part of such a wonderful organization.
Very dedicated to provide excellent experiences for veterans. I have not witnessed another organization supporting there cause as these folks.
I have participated in the last two Honor Flights Pittsburgh and they were such amazing experiences! It is so nice for the Veterans and so rewarding for the volunteers! I tell everyone they should volunteer at least once and then they will get hooked! I can't wait to go on the next trip to DC. There is nothing better than giving back to our Nation's Heroes! ~ Karen Dunn, MSN, RN
I was able to go on this trip on October 2,2021 and was awed from the beginning, Everything was set up and catered to the Veteran in so many ways it would be hard to explain it all ,but it started with coffee and donuts everyone was so friendly and helpful and it continued through out the day from our Guardians to staff on the bus wanting to know if everything was alright, the snacks and rolls they gave us to eat on the trip the many bottles of water handed out at every stop and so much more but I dont want to run out of room before I get to the Welcome Home and if your eyes were not watering I dont know why I never thought there would be so many people there to welcome us home but there was and it was a great feeling to be honored that way and from people you dont even know I thank you and I know anyone on the trip Thanks you !!! in my eyes you rate a 20 on a 1-10 Thank you for a day Ill never forget
I had the privilege to go to Washington D. C. On October 2nd as part of the Honor Flight group out of Western Pennsylvania. We started out very early on a Saturday morning with great anticipation with old friends and new friends.
It was very well organized and we were assigned to a Guardian with four folks in their group. This Guardian would take care of all our needs for the entire trip. What a job to corral us, but it was all handled.
We had a number of stops to make to visit all the key monuments and we kept on schedule. The whole trip ran like close work and we all had plenty of time to view and enjoy out time.
Meals and breaks were all included and enjoyed by everyone. Our Guardian made sure we had everything we needed along with being well rested for the ne t stop.
We spent extra time at the “Tomb of the Unknown” for the changing of the guard.
On our return home we stopped for a dinner that was hosted by Mission BBQ. Very good meal, thank you very much.
This is a trip I would do again in a heart beat. For all the folks who work as volunteers on this project, “Way to go folks” and thank you very much.
Mine and my husband's father's were veterans and are both no longer with us not do they even get to visit their walls. Honor Flight took their pictures in front of their walls and presented us with beautiful pictures of their picture at their wall along with a certificate all enclosed in a beautiful frame. It brought tears to our eyes and we are so grateful for all they do to honor our veterans
You had no need or want on this trip to Washington DC. Everything was taken care of. Every leg of the trip just got better and better.
I worked with this wonderful group on their last Honor Flight to Washington DC as their DC based tour guide. They are well organized and provided an enjoyable trip to our Nation’s Capital for our WW2, Korea, and Vietnam War Heroes. The Pittsburg crew covered all the bases for safety and security for the trip.
They are the best
Well organized and dedicated group. I am glad to be a supporter and to have participated in giving our veterans the recognition they deserve. I look forward to participating in future excursions.
http://www.wtae.com/article/pittsburgh-veterans-trip-to-washington-d-c/37856145
As a journalist, I invite you to witness what Honor Flight Pittsburgh does for the deserving veterans in our area. We were proud to be there for their recent return and to help tell their story to our viewers. A salute to a job well done!
This is an awesome organization. To see the veterans faces when they get off the bus is something you will never forget! Everyone involved is kind and respectful. It is all about the vets!!!
I enjoyed the trip 2 years ago and still get emotional when I think about the welcome home.My daughter said it was the only time she saw cry!
Thanks for the welcome home, I’ll never forget it!!
I had the opportunity to volunteer with Honor Flight Pittsburgh before I moved to Ohio in 2020. I was able to easily work with the leadership in matching my availability to the needs of the organization. The experience was rewarding, the volunteers were welcoming, and I am eternally grateful for the experience.
I volunteered for my first time at this event as an evening greeter. The staff and volunteers of Honor Flight Pittsburgh are amazing. They pull out the stops for our Veterans. From the Red Carpet to the sea of people with signs, waving the American Flag and applauding them on their return from the visit to DC. Lots of Love, Laughter, and new memories for these Veterans. It doesn't matter what time their bus arrived back the people were there to welcome them home and greet them with Love and Gratitude. It's an amazing program and every Veteran that is able to participate should attempt to go.
Just got back from a fabulous day, as a guest of Honor Flight Pittsburgh. Felt special and humbled by the honor given to us all day. So wonderfully organized by people who don't know us but provided a day trip that we will never forget. The care and concern shown by the leaders and nurses and guardians was special. The sights we were able to visit were well planned, from travel to meals to potty breaks. Thank you, Honor Flight Pittsburgh for a fantastic day.
"You couldn't believe all they did for us!" That is how my 89 year old father, a WWII Navy veteran described his trip with Honor Flight Pittsburgh in the fall of 2017. From the send off at the bus station to the police escort to the monuments, from the lunches served to the welcome home greeters. He talked about his trip as an " experience of a lifetime!" He said, "I couldn't believe somebody did this all for us!" He was honored to be with his fellow veterans, especially his son, a veteran Marine who served as his escort. "They met our every need!" Truly he appreciated all of the effort that went into planning the successful trip.
I have followed the Honor Flight program since inception. As a Vietnam veteran and Gold Star family member I understand how important this program is for all of our veterans.
I was invited to go on an Honor Flight Pittsburgh trip to Washington, DC in 2016 in recognition of my service in the Vietnam War. The day was filled with recognition and respect. I have never felt more proud to be a veteran and had the feeling that someone truly appreciated my service! Thank you, Honor Flight Pittsburgh! I was so impressed with the organization that I now have the privilege to serve on the board.
In April 2019 I went on a trip with my dad threw honor flights of pittsburg to washington dc. It was a very uplifting and emotional experience that i would do over again if given the opportunity. I was very impressed with the crowd for the coming home part of the event. My dad never got the proper homecoming when he came home from veitnam but he got the proper one this time. THis is a great organization.
I was so honored and thankful to be a Guardian for Honor Flight Pittsburgh. I am also a daughter of a RET LCDR of the US Navy who attended the trip as a Veteran. It was an emotional and humbling experience and I will never forget how wonderful the entire day was! HFP works HARD to give their Vets the most incredible experience in D.C! I will always support them and their mission
I was humbled to be selected to take an Honor Flight trip with my brother in October 2019. It was a very emotional day and a very memorable day for me. I will talk about this trip for the rest of my life. I hope every eligible veteran has an opportunity to go on one of these trips. I was treated very well and taken very good care of the entire trip. I was totally overwhelmed by what this organization did and does. This is a phenomenal organization that deserves everybody's support.