GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Bucks are teaming up to sponsor three planeloads of local veterans on Stars and Stripes Honor Flight’s 71st mission, the “Flight of Champions” scheduled for Saturday, October 7.
The three flights will honor a total of 221 WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans from northeast, southeastern and east central Wisconsin with a one day, all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials built in their honor and to experience a full day of honor and thanks for their service to our nation.
“We are honored to be a part of this historic mission with the other pro sports teams from Wisconsin,” stated Green Bay Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy. “While we play different sports, we all have great respect for those who have served, and are serving, in our military. We couldn’t be more excited to be asked to play a small role in ensuring these veterans, who are American heroes, have a great day in D.C.”
Early in the morning of October 7, a plane of veterans, guardians and Green Bay Packers alumni will depart from Green Bay’s Austin-Straubel International Airport. Simultaneously, two planeloads of veterans, guardians and representatives from the Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Bucks, will depart from Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport. Packers Alumni on the Green Bay flight include Bill Schroeder, Dexter McNabb, and Jared Abbrederis.
When the three planes arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport on flight day, the veterans, their guardians and team representatives will spend the day touring Washington. The tour will include the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Marine Corps/Iwo Jima Memorial and the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery.
Vietnam veteran Dennis Oberer of Green Bay says the trip is life-changing, especially to those who have never been to D.C. before.
“It was hard on them. A lot of them are crying, putting their hands up, ‘that was my buddy. He went home in a body bag, I got to go home later.’ Lot of hugging, and then coming into Austin Straubel here, there must have been thousands of people out there screaming and hollering and hugging, giving us posters and the most meaningful for me was there was a WWII veteran in a wheelchair and he was thanking me for my service, that was tough, got through it but that was hardest part of it all because there’s not too many WWII veterans left,” he said.
“It is a great honor to once again support the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight as we accompany veterans in their Flight of Champions experience,” said Brewers President of Business Operations Rick Schlesinger. “We know this will be a memorable and unique experience for both the honored veterans and all of us at the Brewers. We look forward to continuing our commitment alongside the Packers and Bucks in supporting the brave men and women who have proudly served our country.”
Veterans that are currently scheduled to be honored on the Flight of Champions include seven female Veterans from the Vietnam and Korean Wars, two WWII veterans who are in their late 90s, several pairs of brothers, a husband-and-wife pair of veterans and a group of three brothers flying with their cousin.
“So many of our Vietnam War and Korean War veterans came home to disinterest, or to a hostile reception,” said Karyn Roelke, President of Stars and
Stripes Honor Flight. “What an honor it will be to finally welcome them home properly and hopefully replace some of those difficult memories with positive ones.”
“We thank our family, friends and neighbors for their bravery and sacrifice and dedicating their lives to protecting us,” said Peter Feigin, President – Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv Forum. “The Milwaukee Bucks are proud to team up with the Packers and Brewers to create a memorable trip and experience for those who served so courageously in our military.”
The community is encouraged to greet the veterans when they return home that day. The Green Bay flight is expected to return to Austin Straubel Airport around 7:30 p.m. Airport officials encourage people to come early as they are expecting about 1,000 people.
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