Honor Flight Network Honors African American Veterans to National War Memorials for Inaugural Juneteenth Event

Black veterans from the Atlanta area to receive trip of a lifetime visiting memorials built

in their honor and in remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Honor Flight Network is proud to announce its first-ever Juneteenth Honor Flight trip, which will celebrate African American veterans from the Atlanta area. On June 19, 2024, these American heroes will take a special flight to Washington, D.C. to visit the national memorials built to honor and commemorate their service and sacrifice.

The veterans, revered for their dedication and service, will embark on a journey of remembrance and gratitude with an all-expenses-paid trip from Atlanta to the nation’s capital. There, they will be immersed in a day of visits to the World War II Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and more. Part of the group will include a 101-year-old veteran, three Purple Heart recipients, one of whom is also a Bronze Star recipient, and four women veterans.

“For our inaugural Juneteenth event, we’re paying tribute to the unsung heroes of our nation, the Black veterans who selflessly served during America’s most pivotal war periods,” said Meredith Rosenbeck, Honor Flight Network chief executive officer. “These veterans will return home with a renewed sense of pride, reminded by a grateful nation that they truly made a difference for each of us.”

Honor Flight Network is a national nonprofit organization formed in 2005 with a mission of celebrating our nation’s veterans by inviting them to share in a day of honor at our nation’s memorials in Washington, D.C. All honored veterans travel at no cost to them. Since 2005, Honor Flight Network has given nearly 300,000 veterans across the country the profound experience of visiting our nation’s war memorials.

“Many African American veterans were not only charged with defending our nation, but also had to battle various limits placed upon them by society,” said John McCaskill, Honor Flight Network board member and Civil War and American historian and military educator. “The Juneteenth Honor Flight trip will highlight the extraordinary courage and resilience of Black veterans and demonstrate gratitude for their tremendous service.”  

Participation in an Honor Flight trip gives veterans the opportunity to experience the monuments alongside their comrades, recounting stories and experiences and remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Honor Flight Network coordinates the travel of approximately 22,000 veterans from around the country each year with the help of volunteers and generous partners. All honored veterans travel at no cost to them.

The Honor Flight Network was formed in 2005 with a mission of celebrating our nation’s veterans by inviting them to share in a day of honor at our nation’s memorials. The organization honors those who served in the Korean War, Vietnam War, intermediary operations, and in special cases of terminal illness or injury, veterans from more recent service eras. All honored veterans travel at no cost to them. Since 2005, Honor Flight Network has taken nearly 300,000 veterans to Washington D.C. 

For more information, visit honorflight.org.