Honor Flight Impacts Huntington County Veterans

Honor Flight Northeast Indiana recently held its 49^th Honor Flight, which provided a life-changing experience for four local Huntington veterans. The Community Foundation was proud to assist in funding the 49^th Honor Flight to honor Huntington County’s armed services veterans. The freedoms Huntington County residents enjoy are thanks to the brave men and women who served our nation, and it was a privilege to honor our local heroes by funding their involvement in this event.

Several Indiana Community Foundations chose to support the Honor Flight this year to help cover the costs of local veterans’ participation in the event. The Community Foundation of Huntington County provided $6,500 in funding as part of its 2024 Grant Cycle I. Grant funds were used to support transportation costs, meal expenses and keepsakes for veterans to cherish beyond the event.

Honor Flight Northeast Indiana is dedicated to providing an incredibly meaningful experience to Indiana veterans. The 49^th Honor Flight took place on October 16, 2024, and allowed 85 armed service veterans and their guardians to fly from Fort Wayne to Washington, DC. Once there, veterans had the opportunity to visit the monuments and memorials built in their honor – an experience that immensely impacted four local Huntington County veterans.

“I can tell you that there wasn’t anybody who didn’t enjoy this trip and have tears in their eyes for the honor that they received – it’s called an honor flight for a reason,” said Ian (John) Kennedy, one of the participating Huntington veterans.

John served in the Air Force as a Jet Engine Mechanic on a B-58 bomber at Bunker Hill, holding the rank of Sergeant. His active duty spanned from 1963 to 1967, after which he continued his service in the reserves for an additional two years. John raved about the Honor Flight, noting that everything from committed volunteers and traveling with fellow veterans, to seeing the monuments and the emotional homecoming, was such a special experience.

The trip was extra memorable for John, as he was able to travel with his friend, golf partner and fellow veteran, Jim Denman.

“It was so great to be with fellow veterans and my good friend Jim, I don’t know how often two veterans that are friends get to go together and experience this honor,” said John. “The comradery among all of the veterans who sacrificed their lives in one way or another was special, and everyone there was appreciative for having this kind of experience. If you want to do something great for a veteran, get them on this flight.”

Jim Denman served in the Army as an Artillery Specialist 2^nd Class (Corporal) from 1961 to 1964 with his unit at Fort Bragg. Not only did Jim have the joy of traveling with John, but he also had an unforgettable chance to share this experience with his son, Jerry (Mike) Denman, who was able to attend as his guardian. Jim noted that he had been to see the monuments in Washington, DC before, but this was the first time he was able to do so with his son.

Although Jim walked away with several highlights from the trip, the main thing that stood out to him was when they returned home that evening.

“One thing that got a lot of the veterans saying ‘this is the best thing that has ever happened to me’ was the homecoming reception,” said Jim. “A lot of them had family there, and you couldn’t go through the line without shaking someone’s hand. This made the trip worthwhile, especially for Vietnam veterans to receive such an amazing ‘welcome home’.”

Another Huntington County veteran, John Stuber, reiterated that same sentiment regarding the reception in Fort Wayne upon returning home.

“The Honor Flight offered a ‘welcome home’ type of experience that I didn’t have when I came home from service,” said John. “When we came around the corner, there must have been over five hundred people there cheering and singing and shaking your hand. It was so overwhelming, it just made you want to drop to the floor.”

John served in the Air Force as a Weapons Mechanic from 1968 to 1972. He explained that he had been on a waiting list to participate in the Honor Flight for some time and was extremely shocked and excited when he got the letter that he was invited to be a part of the 49^th flight.

“It was just so fantastic, I can’t explain it – I am so happy I had the opportunity to go,” said John. “Any veteran that hasn’t been on an Honor Flight, I would encourage them to get on the list because you want to go and do this.”  

Among the four Huntington veterans was Jerry Wyatt, who served in the Army from 1970-1971 as a Truck Driver Specialist 4th Class. He shared that he had such an enjoyable time seeing the different sites, talking to all the fellow veterans, and sharing the experience with his family.

“I had two great grandsons and my family waiting for me when I got back,” said Jerry. “When I came home from service years ago, I was single, so it was nothing like this. It was very special to me to be able to share this with my family.”

Similar to many others, the homecoming reception was very touching to Jerry.

“Getting back at the end of the trip was overwhelming,” said Jerry. “One thing that really got me was there was this little boy, probably four years old, who pointed his finger at me, and I stopped and shook his hand. He looked up at me and thanked me, and that was a really emotional moment for me.”

The Community Foundation appreciates each of the veterans that were willing to share their stories, and sincerely thanks them for their service to our country. It was incredible to hear how emotional, impactful and memorable each of their Honor Flight experiences were. Each Huntington veteran also did not hesitate to share their appreciation of everyone who invested time, funding and dedication to ensuring a successful event.

“It’s a shock how well done this program is, and I want to compliment all the people involved in putting this event together because it’s no small thing,” emphasized John Kennedy. “It really affects you as a veteran, because you don’t always think about your service being that special. I can’t think of anything better than supporting veterans through the Honor Flight.”

The Community Foundation would like to applaud Honor Flight Northeast Indiana’s unwavering support for honoring veterans, as well as their commitment to the annual Honor Flight. It was a privilege to come alongside the organization to support their mission and provide an unforgettable experience for local Huntington County veterans.

The Community Foundation also recognizes the immense impact our fundholders have and extends our appreciation to them for helping support the 49^th Honor Flight. As part of the $6,500 Grant Cycle I funding, $4,603 was generously provided by the Dadd/Decker Fund and Riverview Terrace Funds. The grant was also sponsored by the following Community Funds: Daugherty Family, Don & Linda Martin, James & Regina Ditzler, James & Nancy Breiner, Howell-Ehler-Wiley, John & Midge Decker, Roger & Debbie Dyson, Stephen & Alyce Zahn, Steve & Pamela Anderson Family, Robert and Vera Deal, and an anonymous fund. Without our valued donors, supporting events like these would not be possible.

Those interested in learning more about the Honor Flight, as well as those interested in donating to support event costs, can visit Honor Flight Northeast Indiana’s website.