Welcome Home Honor Flight Veterans
Saturday, April 12th, Southeast Florida Honor Flight volunteers will be escorting a full load of veterans on the free trip of a lifetime as the first Honor Flight of 2025 takes off for a daylong trip to Washington, D.C. At 9:20 p.m., the veterans, their volunteer guardians, and volunteer staff will be returning from a full day of being honored and celebrated in Washington, D.C., courtesy of Southeast Florida Honor Flight. Every veteran on the flight has stories to share and memories – some they haven’t thought of in decades, and some they have never shared with anyone.
Unlike WWII and the Korean War, when veterans returned home from serving our country in the Vietnam War, instead of being welcomed and applauded, many were spat upon, cursed, and treated with hate. It may be decades later, but it won’t cost you a thing to help heal their spirits and give them the welcome home they truly deserve. Even if you’re not on the flight as a veteran or volunteer guardian, you can help welcome the veterans home after a very moving day in Washington, DC.
One of the veterans on this very special Honor Flight Mission is USAF Veteran and Port St. Lucie resident, James Bouterse. Bouterse served as a pilot with the 40th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron after graduating from the USAF ROTC program. He was just 22 years old and followed in the footsteps of his father, who served in the Pacific Theatre in the US Navy during World War II, his Uncle, who was in the Army during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and later served in Europe, and his father-in-law, who served in the US Army in the European Theatre during World War II.
James was in Nakan Phenom, Thailand, and served on rescue missions in North Vietnam and Laos during his eight years in the service. On his first wedding anniversary, James was flying over the North Pole in a KC-135 refueling B-52s. He flew helicopter demonstrations for the UH-1F Huey that included the Air Force Thunderbirds and the SR-71 in the Air Show, and his unit received many medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Silver Star, Air Force Commendation Medals, The National Defense and Combat Readiness Medals, and more, but when he returned to the States, the airlines weren’t hiring, and James was forced to become life insurance agent, financial planner, and pension plan consultant to make a living. Still, after nearly 60 years, he continues to maintain contact with his pilot training classmates and is very close with them, which helps make his time in the service a memorable and valuable part of his life.
During an Honor Flight mission, veterans on the trip are flown at no cost to Washington, DC, where they are served throughout the day by volunteer guardians who have been trained to ensure the safety and enjoyment of each hero veteran flying and have paid for their own flight. As in the past, a crowd of individuals will gather at Palm Beach International Airport to welcome the veterans home from their epic journey and to honor them for their brave and selfless service to our country. Operation Homecoming, which features music, flags, loads of laughter, and a chance to share the memory of a lifetime with American heroes, is free and open to the public, and really, the party starts long before the plane carrying the veterans ever lands at PBIA.
Even if you don’t know anyone on the flight, you will find friends and neighbors in the crowd, and you’ll have a chance to cheer the veterans through the final steps of the day most say they remember as second only to their weddings and births of their children. Well-wishers are encouraged to bring signs, flags, and smiles to share with the veterans and guardians as they return, and you are guaranteed to walk away from the event with a lump in your throat, a smile on your face, and gratitude and pride in your heart for these humble heroes you’ve helped welcome home. Remember, some of these veterans never had the welcome home they so deserve. We ask you to help us welcome them home after their Honor Flight mission.
If you, your neighbors, your church or social group, or family and friends are interested in being part of something special, please plan to join the fun and gratitude on Saturday, April 12th at 9:20 p.m. at Palm Beach International Airport. Volunteers from the ground crew will direct you on where to go, but be ready for a heartwarming homecoming for some very special veterans and volunteers. To learn more about Southeast Florida Honor Flight and how you can become involved as a volunteer or to donate to the next flight, please visit www.honorflightsefl.org today.
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