More than 100 veterans from the Chicago area were expected to take part in an Honor Flight on Wednesday, headed to Washington, D.C., to visit the national memorials ahead of the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
Three World War II veterans, 14 Korean War veterans and 86 Vietnam veterans from the Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force were scheduled to depart from Midway Airport early Wednesday for the one-day trip.
The event was organized by Honor Flight Chicago, a non-profit organization dedicating to providing the country's senior military veterans with an all-expenses paid trip to see the nation's memorials as a way to thank them for their service. The day includes a visit to the war memorials, a ceremony of thanks, a welcome home celebration upon their return and more.
Wednesday's flight comes as people around the world pay tribute one day ahead of the 75th anniversary of D-Day, when more than 150,000 Allied troops, carried by 7,000 boats, landed on the beaches of Normandy in northwest France on June 6, 1944. It was a turning point in World War II, and helped bring about Nazi Germany's defeat in May 1945.
