Public can welcome home Korea, Vietnam veterans after tour of Washington

Published 9:00 am Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Honor Flight of Central Oregon is set to welcome home Redmond-area veterans of the Vietnam and Korean wars.

On Sept. 18, 26 local veterans are heading to Washington D.C. to tour memorials decided to their service and American history.

The group will return Sept. 21 to the Redmond Airport and then head straight to Ridgeview High, where the public is invited to welcome home veterans at 1:30 p.m., giving many the community welcome they never had.

Among the travelers are 24 veterans of Vietnam two who served in Korea.

“One of the biggest things the (Vietnam) veterans talk about was they were never welcomed home,” HFCO Vice President Don DeLand said. “So the whole welcome thing at Ridgeview High School is the highlight of their trip.”

Last year, 400 people gathered to celebrate the honor flight veterans.

The Redmond chapter of Honor Flight started in 2018 and the welcome home tradition began in 2021. After talking to the veterans, DeLand realized that many were still affected by the fact they never did not received a warm welcome when they returned home from their service.

The nonprofit hopes to make up for that. In addition to the in-person gathering, veterans also receive written letters from friends and family, as well as students in Redmond, Bend and La Pine schools.

Organizations like Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, Redmond’s Band of Brothers, American Legion Post 44 and Veterans of Foreign Wars will be at the event.

Anyone is welcome to attend, DeLand said. to just “to welcome these veterans home like they should have had in the first place.”

There will be speeches from Honor Flight and the Central Oregon Modern Quilt Guild will present handmade quilts to each veteran. Community supporters just have to “bring themselves,” said DeLand but are welcome to make signs.

“It’s real patriotic and a good way to end their flight,” DeLand said.