Chautauqua County Honor Flight veterans who visited Washington, D.C., earlier this month with assistance from the Fenton History Center Vets Finding Vets program. The Honor Flight Network flies military veterans for free to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials of the respective wars they fought in for the United States. Submitted photo

Friday the 13th might prevent some superstitious people from flying on an airplane, but it’s going to take more than a bad luck day to scare veterans who battled Nazis and North Koreans.

Earlier this month, eight Chautauqua County veterans flew from Buffalo to Washington, D.C., as part of the Honor Flight Network, which flies military veterans for free to the nation’s capital to visit the memorials of the respective wars they fought in for the United States. On the trip there were five World War II veterans — Art Hodges, Leo Julian, Richard Reardon, William Norris and Norman Shopland — and three Korean War veterans — Jim Gallagher, John Hayward and Ken Goulding.

Barb Cessna, Fenton History Center Vets Finding Vets program coordinator, said the Chautauqua County Veterans Services van picked four of the veterans up the afternoon of April 13 at the Fenton History Center and traveled to Fredonia Place where four more joined the group. The veterans then traveled to Buffalo where the next day they flew out of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, which is a hub for the Honor Flight Network, to Washington, D.C.

The veterans while in the capital visited the Pentagon, Arlington Cemetery and their respective war memorial, Cessna said. She said even the cancellation of the flight home from Baltimore to Buffalo Saturday evening due to an ice storm didn’t dampen the spirits of the veteran travelers.

Hodges said it was all a wonderful trip.

“I was most impressed with how people, not connected with the Honor Flight, reacted to all of the veterans,” he said. “They made special attempts to thank us for our service, but it was all wonderful.”

Gallagher said he enjoyed the turnout of veteran supporters at the airports and the 400,000 graves at Arlington Cemetery.

“I was most impressed with … how well the flight was organized and all the cards and letters we all received in our mail bags,” he said.

Reardon enjoyed visiting the memorials.

“The World War II Memorial was something else, and a little 2-year-old girl gave me a dandelion that I’ve kept. It made me cry,” he said.

Cessna helped the veterans fill out registrations and handle many of the details for the veterans to go on the Honor Flight Network trip. She said those involved with the Vets Finding Vets program are very appreciative for the continued support of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, whose generosity makes possible the hours of planning needed for veteran talks, special events and trips.

Any one who would like more information regarding applications for the next Honor Flight Network trip on Oct. 20 can call Cessna at 664-6256 or email veterans@fentonhistorycenter.org. For those interested in seeing photos of the trip, visit facebook.com/vetsfindingvets.