Dozens of female veterans will be part of an historic flight departing Midway Airport Wednesday.
The 93 female veterans will take a round-trip honor flight from Chicago's Midway International Airport to visit National Memorials in Washington, D.C.
The flight is part of "Operation HerStory," described as "an initiative dedicated to highlighting the vital contributions of women veterans."
The group’s inaugural effort was postponed from 2020, when Honor Flight Chicago asked women veterans to apply for the historic moment.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
According to the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, there are roughly 7,500 women veterans in Illinois who served in active-duty military between 1940 and 1975.
"Among these, it’s estimated that fewer than 3% have to-date flown to Washington, D.C., with an Illinois Honor Flight hub," the group said in a release. "To date, more than 8,900 veterans who served in these wars have made this trip with Honor Flight Chicago."
The group on the flight is made up of a two World War II veterans, seven Korean War veterans and 84 Vietnam War veterans from the Chicago area. They served in the Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force.
