Area veterans to take part in May 19 Never Forgotten Honor Flight

The Never Forgotten Honor Flight organization based in Wausau will fly 108 Vietnam and 1 Korea era veterans from central and northern Wisconsin to Washington, D.C. to see the memorials that honor their service on Monday, May 19, 2025. It’s the organization’s 52nd flight since the first Never Forgotten Honor Flight took place May 27, 2010.

Among those on the flight will be six veterans from Taylor County.

Local veterans taking part in the Never Forgotten Honor Flight include: Jack Heindl of Medford. He is an Army veteran. He served in Korea in headquarters and on the front lines.

Mark Christianson, of Medford, is an Army veteran who served during the Vietnam war era.

Thomas Leischer of Medford is a Navy veteran. He served on the USS Tracer and USS Ranger as an electrician during the Vietnam war.

Michael Neubauer of Medford is an Army veteran. He served in Korea during the Vietnam War era.

Theodore Rau of Medford is a Army veteran. He served in Germany as a mechanic.

Arnold Koeppe of Westboro is an Army veteran. He served from July 7, 1955 to May 1957 with 11 months at FT Knox, Ken. and 11 months in Germany.

Marvin Newman of Withee is an Army veteran. He served from August 1959 to June 1962 being stationed in Vietnam and in Alaska.

In addition to the veterans, 64 guardians will accompany them on the one-day round trip 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.

After Monday’s trip, the Never Forgotten Honor Flight will have flown 5,025 veterans to Washington, D.C. All veterans that served prior to 7 May 1975 are encouraged to submit an application (via our website, or by calling 715-573-8519). The only criteria for veterans to qualify for the Never Forgotten 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 us at 715.573.8519. The veterans are selected based upon the order in which their applications are received and the conflict they served in. Priority 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 priority. Guardians should be 18-69 years old and able to lend physical assistance to the veterans. Guardians 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 128 nationally) 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.