May 12, 2025 – Washington Co., Wi – Seven veterans from Washington County, Wi will be on board the Saturday, May 17, 2025, Stars and Stripes Honor Flight to Washington D.C.
Local veterans include:
Eugene “Geno” Bautch Vietnam War Navy from Richfield
David Doll Vietnam War Army from Hartford
Dave Fritz Vietnam War Navy from Richfield
Larry Kritz Vietnam War Army from West Bend
Roger Kufahl Vietnam War Army from West Bend
Greg Quintero Vietnam War Army from Hubertus
Larry Seitz Vietnam War Navy from West Bend
The Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft will leave Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport at approximately 6:30 a.m. on flight day, bound for Washington Dulles International Airport with 58 local veterans (and their guardians) on board.
On that day, Stars and Stripes Honor Flight will welcome 2 Korean War veterans and 56 veterans of the Vietnam War and Vietnam Era. Veterans taking their Stars and Stripes Honor Flight on May 17 include a Navy pilot with 200 combat missions during two deployments, a door gunner in a Marine helicopter crew, and a commander of a Vietnam Army tank crew.
The day will be full of honor and healing for veterans who have not previously been acknowledged for their service.
“I’ve been shot at, missed, crapped on, and bit and I escaped with all my fingers and toes and half of my wits. I consider myself very lucky,” said Vietnam Army veteran Jeff Roberts of Kenosha.
After the planes land in the Washington DC area on flight day, the veterans will board coach buses to tour Washington DC’s WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Air Force Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Wall, and more.
The day will also include viewing the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
Veterans’ families and friends, along with members of the community, are encouraged to attend the Homecoming parade at Mitchell Airport that evening.
The plane is scheduled to land just after 8 p.m. The Milwaukee Letter Carriers Band and the West Allis Central Dance Team will provide spirit for the Homecoming festivities.
Prior to the May 17 flight, Stars and Stripes Honor Flight has flown 10,648 local veterans on these trips to Washington DC since 2008 and has honored more than 50 veterans locally who were not able to fly.
As an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff and no offices, the organization is proud to share that $.97 of every donated dollar goes directly to flying and honoring veterans.
Honor Flight is a national program with more than 125 hubs from coast to coast. The WWII Memorial did not open until 2004, and many of our oldest veterans are unable to visit Washington DC without assistance. Nationally, hubs in the Honor Flight Network have taken more than 275,000 veterans to see their memorials.
Timeline of activities for the Saturday May 17 Stars and Stripes Honor Flight:
5:00 a.m. – Veterans and their guardians begin check in on Mitchell Airport’s main concourse
5:50 a.m. – National Anthem by local vocal group Crosstown Harmony
6:30 a.m. – Flight departs for Dulles Airport; water cannon salute on runway (weather permitting)
9:00 a.m. (ET) – Flight arrives at Dulles Airport, load buses for DC tour
5:30 p.m. (ET) – Return to Dulles Airport, load plane for departure back to MKE
8:05 p.m. (CT, approximate) – Return flight lands at Mitchell International Airport, veterans deplane for a parade through the airport’s main concourse. The Milwaukee Letter Carriers Band and the West Allis Central Dance Team will provide spirit and entertainment for the Homecoming parade.
