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When the North Star and Freedom Honor Flight delegations returned from their one day trips to Washington, D.C., crowds of people lined the airports of Rochester and La Crosse to welcome them back home. “That’s not the way it was when we returned from Vietnam,” remarked Mike Lane of Chatfield, “it took 50 years before I heard ‘Welcome Home’ after my time serving in Vietnam.” This sentiment has been echoed by veterans across the country who are so grateful for the Honor Flights organized in over 120 hubs across the nation. These locations are a tangible way to express thankfulness for those who served in the military.
The Honor Flights are more than a sightseeing trip to the nation’s capital or a reflection on past events and memories. Eight Fillmore County residents were on the journeys leaving from the Minnesota and Wisconsin areas.
“Honor Flight Network is a national nonprofit organization comprised of independent hubs working together to achieve the Honor Flight mission. In furtherance of this common goal, we have the enormous privilege of showing our nation’s veterans the appreciation and honor they deserve,” states the Honor Flight Network website honorflight.org.
These special flights began 20 years ago when Earl Morse and Jeff Miller teamed up to create, as stated on the Honor Flight site, “a simple, yet powerful, mission – honoring our nation’s veterans by bringing them to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials built to commemorate their service and sacrifice.” Honor Flights allow veterans an opportunity to share their experiences not only with each other but gives them a platform in which to reach and teach younger generations the history they have personally endured.
Principally responsible for reviving the Rochester area flights is Jill Klapperich from LeRoy, who is the board president of North Star Honor Flight. “In late 2022, I was helping my dad (a Vietnam veteran) sign up for an Honor Flight and we discovered how long the waitlist is at many of the surrounding hubs. I knew that a group had previously flown WWII veterans out of Rochester, so I thought, ‘Why couldn’t we start up a new hub and fly out of Rochester?’ After two years of organizing and fundraising, we took our first flight on April 23, 2025, and our second flight on September 30, 2025.”
Jill is also the flight operations director, overseeing the details of what happens on flight day. She commented, “We leave RST just after 6 a.m. and return at about 9:30 p.m. As flight operations director, I spend much of the day making sure everyone and everything are where they are supposed to be. Those 15 hours go by in a flash! For me, the most meaningful part of the day is when we return to Rochester and I have the opportunity to welcome home every veteran individually. So many of our veterans, especially from the Vietnam era, were not welcomed home and even treated poorly upon their return. Honor Flight is a chance for us to make a difference by providing them a day filled with our gratitude.”
Describing the activities of the day, Jill said, “Our stops for the day started with the Marine Corps War Memorial for lunch, then on to Arlington National Cemetery to observe the Changing of the Guard, where we received a surprise visit with one of the Tomb Guards after our ceremony. From there, we visited the Navy Memorial, Vietnam, Korea and Lincoln Memorials, the WWII Memorial, FDR and MLK memorials and a quick drive past the Air Force memorial on our way back to the airport. Upon arriving home, there was a wonderful crowd at the Rochester International Airport to greet us and music provided by the Chatfield Brass Band.”
Ron Scheevel, of rural Preston, with four other Fillmore County residents: Gary Guy of Spring Valley, Mike Lane of Chatfield, Denny Meyer of Wykoff, and Phil Goldsmith (Goldie) of Fountain participated on the North Star Honor Flight.
Ron was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1966, trained at Fort Hood, Tex., and served in Vietnam being honorably discharged in January 1968. Ron remembers, “Many from Fillmore Country were farm boys. My memories include the training in Texas, the long flight to Vietnam, the heat, the smell, and the poverty of that war-torn country, as well as the mortar attacks, numerous red-alerts where many nights were spent in the bunkers.”
Ron had never visited Washington, D.C. but had a desire to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. “It was very humbling to see the 58,000-plus names, knowing very well one of those could have been me. I feel so lucky to have come home and lead a full life,” shared Ron. Living a full life is just what he has been doing with his wife of 54 years, Pat, and three sons – Eric, Nate, Aaron – and his nine grandchildren.
Ron’s expectations were exceeded as he witnessed the magnitude of walking through the memorials. “Just the size and beauty of these memorials was breathtaking … Als, the statues and sculptures were stunning. The numbers of KIA, WIA, and MIA was a very somber experience to this ‘Old Soldier.’ The entire day was so well organized with volunteers at every corner, good meals, and good people doing a great job.”
Fellow veteran traveler, Phillip Goldsmith (Goldie), totally agrees with the comments of Ron about the wonderful opportunity of the Honor Flight. “I am thankful for the chance to go.” Goldie continued, “Even though we couldn’t land in D.C. until after being in holding pattern for one hour, it was a very well organized trip. Everything clicked. Our bus driver and tour guide were exceptional!!”
Goldie was raised on a farm in southeastern Minnesota and went to Chatfield schools before serving in the U.S. Army from March 19 1968 – October 26, 1969. He stated, “Nicest memory is of surviving the war and coming home from Vietnam.”
Goldie learned about the Honor Flight when he attended the presentation at the meal for veterans at Joy Ridge in 2024. His daughter Angela Goldsmith became a “guardian,” a volunteer traveling companion assigned to assist each veteran. Goldie encourages veterans to “Sign up and go, tomorrow might not come.”
The Freedom Honor Flight out of La Crosse Airport transported three Fillmore County veterans including Don Gildner of Preston, Paul Engrav of Rushford, and James Norton of Harmony.
Don Gildner, a very active member of the American Legion Vail Post #166 served in the Army from 1971-72 and was encouraged to sign up by a good friend who had been on an honor flight. “In La Crosse at 5:30 a.m., we had a great sendoff and we were greeted in D.C. by a great crowd cheering us on. It was moving being at the memorials and especially at the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where they changed two wreaths. We got back to La Crosse at about 10 p.m. and had a great crowd cheering us home. That was kind of moving,” commented Don.
Marveling at the ways the Honor Flights are organized, Don continued, “The people took good care of everybody and I’m very impressed. There were 25 wheelchaired vets on my flight, so if a vet wants to go, they will take care of you. Any vet that hasn’t gone should think about it. I’m glad I went. It is remarkable to see the change in the country’s feelings toward vets since Vietnam.”
All the veterans who were on the Honor Flights are extremely grateful for the people who organized and executed the details involved with allowing them to be present in Washington, D.C. as well as the hundreds of volunteers who donated time and financed these flights.
Information on how readers can apply or get involved with Honor Flights is available by contacting:
North Star Honor Flight
P.O. Box 321
Adams, MN 55909
Phone 507-440-0003
northstarhonorflight.org
or
Freedom Honor Flight
P.O. Box 505
La Crosse, WI 54602-0505
Phone 608-784-1015
freedomhonorflight.org
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