Wings of Honor

The World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., was built to honor the 16 million Americans who served in the armed forces during that conflict, the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported their efforts from the homefront. But the Greatest Generation is aging rapidly, and about 1,200 World War II veterans die [...]

Memorial Plaza. Photo by Rick Latoff / American Battle Monuments Commission.
The World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., was built to honor the 16 million Americans who served in the armed forces during that conflict, the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported their efforts from the homefront. But the Greatest Generation is aging rapidly, and about 1,200 World War II veterans die each day; most won’t see the memorial honoring their sacrifice.
The wall of 4,048 stars; each one represents 100 Americans who died in the war. Photo by Rick Latoff / American Battle Monuments Commission.
That seemed wrong to former Air Force Captain Earl Morse, and he came up with an idea: Send those veterans who are willing and able to the nation’s capital, free of charge. His non-profit organization, Honor Flight Network, transports World War II ...