Honor Flight Chicago

09/02/2026

New Podcast episode!

Harry and Larry Hartigan were known to their family as simply “The Twins.” Both joined the Navy during the Vietnam War. Harry was stationed in Pearl Harbor. Larry was a corpsman attached to a Marine unit in Vietnam, where he was killed in early 1969. The Twins returned home together, with Harry accompanying his brother’s body back to the States. Harry has worked to keep Larry’s memory alive ever since.

Listen at link in comments:

08/28/2026

Our Gold Star family program continued this week on . Bill Weber and his sons, Bill and Brent, traveled with us to Washington, D.C., in memory of their brother and uncle, Lester Weber. U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Weber was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on February 23, 1969.

On behalf of the entire Honor Flight Chicago family, thank you for your service and your sacrifice for our nation.

08/27/2026

The official group portrait from yesterday's !

Three Korean War Veterans

110 Vietnam War Veterans

Three members of the Gold Star Weber family traveling in memory of USMC Medal of Honor recipient Lester Weber.

08/27/2026

Honor Flight Chicago Flight 131 : 8/26/2026

Members of the showing their support and appreciation for the 113 heroes on the today’s 131st
Mission of Honor Flight Chicago .

113 veteran heroes who flew on today’s Honor Flight.
3 from Korean War
110 from Vietnam War
——
The youngest vet on today’s flight is 69, oldest 95, average age 79.

The flight consists of 111 Males, and 2 Female heroes.

On todays flight there are
8 Combat Infantries, 1 Combat Medic, 1 Aviator Crew Wings, 1 Dolphin (sub), 1 SSBN Deterrent Patrol, 4 Marine Combat Aviation, 1 Airborne Wings, 1 Navy Seal, 1 Navy Aviator Wings, and 1 Navy “E”Owners.

1 Medal of Honor, 1 Bronze Star with “V” Valor, 1 Bronze Star with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, 1 Bronze Star with 1 OLC, 9 Bronze Stars, 7 Purple Hearts, 5 Air Medal recipients on today’s flight.

61 Army, 11 Marine Corps, 22 Navy, 19 Air Force, and 1 Gold Star Family.

To date, since the first flight in June, 2008, has Flown a total of 12,655 heroes.
6,359 from WWII
2,294 from Korean War
4,116 from Vietnam War.

Every year, Honor Flight Chicago flies hundreds of veteran heroes to Washington D.C. to see the memorials erected in their honor. They are treated with a full day of the honor and respect they deserve! Our heroes arrived at at 3:30am today. It’s been a very long day for many of them. But here to cheer them on and begin their much deserved and long awaited “Welcome Home” and they will be greeted by the cheers of 60 sailors at the gate, a pipe and drum band, the Frankfort Brass Band, and thousands of patiently waiting family and friends in baggage claim.

To learn more about Honor Flight Chicago, or to sign your hero up for a future flight, visit https://www.honorflightchicago.org. To find an Honor Flight near you (more than 120 hubs around the country), visit https://www.honorflight.org.

08/27/2026

Honor Flight Chicago Flight 131 :
8/26/2026


60 sailors from Naval Station Great Lakes marching in to welcome home and es**rt

113 veteran heroes who flew on today’s Honor Flight for the 131st mission of Honor Flight Chicago
3 from Korean War
110 from Vietnam War
——
The youngest vet on today’s flight is 69, oldest 95, average age 79.

The flight consists of 111 Males, and 2 Female heroes.

On todays flight there are
8 Combat Infantries, 1 Combat Medic, 1 Aviator Crew Wings, 1 Dolphin (sub), 1 SSBN Deterrent Patrol, 4 Marine Combat Aviation, 1 Airborne Wings, 1 Navy Seal, 1 Navy Aviator Wings, and 1 Navy “E”Owners.

1 Medal of Honor, 1 Bronze Star with “V” Valor, 1 Bronze Star with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, 1 Bronze Star with 1 OLC, 9 Bronze Stars, 7 Purple Hearts, 5 Air Medal recipients on today’s flight.

61 Army, 11 Marine Corps, 22 Navy, 19 Air Force, and 1 Gold Star Family.

To date, since the first flight in June, 2008, has Flown a total of 12,655 heroes.
6,359 from WWII
2,294 from Korean War
4,116 from Vietnam War.

Every year, Honor Flight Chicago flies hundreds of veteran heroes to Washington D.C. to see the memorials erected in their honor. They are treated with a full day of the honor and respect they deserve! Our heroes arrived at at 3:30am today. It’s been a very long day for many of them. But here to cheer them on and begin their much deserved and long awaited “Welcome Home” and they will be greeted by the cheers of 60 sailors at the gate, a pipe and drum band, the Frankfort Brass Band, and thousands of patiently waiting family and friends in baggage claim.

To learn more about Honor Flight Chicago, or to sign your hero up for a future flight, visit https://www.honorflightchicago.org. To find an Honor Flight near you (more than 120 hubs around the country), visit https://www.honorflight.org.

08/26/2026

Check out this Welcome back to Washington Dulles International Airport! is headed back to Chicago after this incredible sendoff from our nation's capital!

08/26/2026

Every flight morning we serve Doughs Guys Bakery donuts to our Veterans before boarding the plane to D.C. They are fan favorites, and recently Doughs Guys customers have been donating to pay the cost of these donuts. Can't thank all of you enough!

Another successful Honor Flight. Thank you Don G. for donating this month to this wonderful event.

08/26/2026

So many emotions when tracing a name at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

08/26/2026

We brought a special guest with us to Washington. Thanks to Wayne Messmer for always performing at the gate for our Veterans, and for performing for today at the WWII Memorial!