GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Old Glory Honor Flight is a nonprofit organization that takes veterans to the nation’s capital and back in a whirlwind one-day experience.
The crowning celebration of Brown Counties 200th anniversary will be tomorrow when a group of veterans participates in the event.
The community is encouraged to head over to Austin Straubel International Airport Thursday night to the give local hero’s returning home from the capital the rousing support that they deserve.
The group will depart at Austin Straubel International Airport at 6:30 AM as they fly to Washington D.C. to spend the day visiting war memorials and touring the city.
They are expected back at the airport later that night at 8:30 PM and that’s where local officials are hoping they will be met by thousands of cheering community members.
“We’d like them [the community] to show up in droves,” says Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach. “We are hoping there will be at least 2,000 people or plus.”
This is the first time ever that an Old Glory Honor Flight will take place at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport, while about 40 such flights have taken place in Appleton before.
“It’s also fitting because our airport is named after a local hero, Austin Straubel,” says Streckenbach.
Austin A. Straubel was a pilot from Green Bay that was a major in the United States Air Forces. He started his military career in the 1920’s and was active throughout World War II.
The more than 70 area veterans participating in the event are from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
A special component to Thursday’s event is that the participating veterans will be joined by some local football greats.
Joining on the trip are former Green Bay Packers players Mark Tauscher, Paul Coffman, Lynn Dickey, Earl Dotson, and Marco Rivera.
“We’re really fired up and excited to be a part of this,” says Cathy Dworak. “I can’t tell you how much it means to the Green Bay Packers to support our military, as well as to bring our alumni along to share that.”
The idea is for the former players to celebrate the veterans, not the other way around.
One of the participating former Packers players hopes he returns to a party atmosphere.
“I would hope that there will be many people to come out here and really cheer on the true heroes of our nation, those who are willing to give their lives so that we might be free,” says former Packers tight end Paul Coffman.
Even though the group is expected to return to Austin Straubel Internation Airport at 8:30 PM, officials are asking those attending to arrive between 7:00 and 7:30 PM.
There will be free parking available in the airport’s long-term parking lot and there will also be free parking across the street at the Irene Moore Activity Center with free shuttles taking people to and from the airport.
People are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue and American flags will be distributed.
“Let’s give them a welcome home they won’t forget,” says Streckenbach.
