106 area veterans will board the 47th Never Forgotten Honor Flight April 22

The Never Forgotten Honor Flight organization based in Wausau will fly 95 Vietnam and 11 Korea Era veterans from central and northern Wisconsin to Washington, D.C. to see the memorials that honor their service on Monday, April 22nd. It’s the organization’s 47th flight since the first Never Forgotten Honor Flight took place April 27, 2010. This flight is sponsored by Hodag Country Festival.

67 guardians will accompany the vets after they have completed a mandatory training session on April 21. They will then accompany their assigned veterans on a one-day round trip to Washington DC, that departs Central Wisconsin Airport at 6:30 a.m. and is scheduled to return at approximately 10 p.m. The public is invited to the Central Wisconsin Airport to welcome the veterans home Monday night, and Honor Flight officials recommend arriving no later than 8:30 p.m. Free parking for those welcoming these veterans home will be provided. Never Forgotten Honor Flight (NFHF) veteran alumni are encouraged to wear their NFHF-issued clothing (hat, shirt or windbreaker) for the welcome home ceremony.

Among veterans from throughout the central Wisconsin region, there are veterans with local ties who will be taking part. They include: Francis Wilczek of Lublin, a Vietnam Era Navy veteran who served from August 17, 1967 to November 13, 1970 earning the rank of petty officer (E5) was stationed in Guam, Okinawa, Vietnam and worked with the Seabees mobile construction battalion.

Gary Anderson of Medford, a Vietnam Era Army veteran who served February 16, 1967 to February 15, 1968 earning the rank of SP4, stationed in Fulda, Germany as a red eye gunner/jeep driver.

Steven Bauer, of Medford, a Vietnam Era Army veteran who served from January 1956 to June 1993, earning the rank of colonel (O6).With the Wisconsin Army National Guard got called up during the Berlin Crisis.

Harlowe Schwartz, of Medford, a Vietnam Era Navy veteran who served from June 30, 1955 to June 26, 1961 as airman at US Naval Air Station Glynco in Brunswick, Georgia and Japan.

Gerald Baumann of Dorchester, a Vietnam Era Army veteran who served in the 618 Medic OC as part of the Eighth Army in Korea as a medic clerk.

Linda Baumann of Dorchester, a Vietnam Era Army veteran who served with 54th MP Co. in Ft. Ord, California as an MP.

Marjean Zoellick, of Dorchester, a Vietnam Era Army veteran who served from August 1973 to September 1976.

John Weiler of Athens, a Vietnam Era Air Force veteran, who served from Oct. 1972 to May 1976 earning the rank of staff sergeant. He was stationed in Japan and Vietnam in cargo jet repair.

After Monday’s trip, the Never Forgotten Honor Flight will have flown 4,505 veterans to Washington, D.C. All veterans that served prior to 7 May 1975 are encouraged to submit an application (via our web site, or by calling 715-573-8519). The only criteria for veterans to qualify for an Honor Flight is to have served (active duty, reserves or national guard) prior to 7 May 1975, regardless of WHERE they served.

Veterans receive a free round-trip flight, and guardians pay $500 for the opportunity to accompany one, two or three veterans on the trip. Veterans and guardians interested in taking a future Honor Flight must complete an application at: www.neverforgottenhonorflight.com or contact the organization at 715-573-8519. The veterans are selected based upon the order in which their applications are received and the conflict they served in. Preference is given to World War II Era veterans, then Korea Era Veterans and then Vietnam era veterans. Veterans who are terminally ill, regardless of when they served in those three eras, are given top preference. Guardians should be 18-69 years old and able to lend physical assistance to the veterans (cannot be a spouse or “significant other.”) Veteran and guardian applications can be completed online or mailed to Never Forgotten Honor Flight, 225780 Rib Mountain Drive, #234, Wausau, WI 54401.

North Central Wisconsin’s Never Forgotten Honor Flight is the nation’s 77th regional hub, of 129 in the USA, and one of five Wisconsin Honor Flight hubs. The Wausau-based organization was certified by the National Honor Flight Network office in Springfield, Ohio on December 11, 2009.