Evansville veteran shares Honor Flight experience
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - It was a busy weekend for several Tri-State veterans as they were given the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. on the 18th Honor Flight.
It was a part of the Honor Flight of Southern Indiana’s goal of honoring America’s senior veterans for all of their sacrifices.
One of the veterans on board this past weekend’s Honor Flight was Richard Baehl.
Baehl served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1965. He began in the Quartermasters Reserve Unit out of Evansville, then was transferred to active duty.
He was a little hesitant to sign up for the Honor Flight, but after a bit of convincing from fellow veterans, he and his neighbor signed up together.
They were both sponsored by Baehl’s sons, one of which is a veteran himself.
While he served during a period where there was no war, Baehl said visiting the war memorials on the 18th Honor Flight was surreal.
After boarding the flight and touring the nation’s capital and the many war memorials built to honor those who sacrificed so much, Baehl said it was truly an unforgettable experience.
“It is something you just can not imagine until you experience it,” said Baehl.
“By seeing these memorials and to honor these people that put their lives on the line for our country was very exciting. To experience that was just tremendous.”
Without the Honor Flight organization’s support of local, senior veterans, Baehl said that this experience would not have been possible.
“All the support that we do get from the people around us and the different companies that support this and make it available for people who would probably never get the opportunity to go on their own,” said Baehl.
“This gives them the opportunity to experience something they probably never thought about experiencing.”
He said having his two sons alongside him made the experience that much more meaningful.
He also encourages any senior veteran in the Tri-State to board the flight if given the opportunity.
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