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‘Everything Was Wonderful’

Six Local Veterans Participate In Honor Flight Father’s Day Weekend

Pictured is the overall group of veterans that were able to participate in the Honor Flight this June. Submitted photo

Father’s Day weekend 2024 was made a little bit more special for six area veterans as they traveled aboard the Buffalo-Niagara Honor Flight to Washington D.C. to see the war memorials.

Local veterans participating in June’s Honor Flight included Richard Bradigan, James Higginbotham, Darwin Mays, Steve Johnson, Clifford Murphy, and Jerry Stahl.

The trip began with a reception at the Fenton History Center on that Thursday, June 13, hosted by the Fenton’s Vets Finding Vets. The reception was for the veterans and their families before boarding the van that afternoon. Vets and their guardians met some members of the Legion Riders, each of who sent a check for $150 for the veterans to use in honor of their service, and also provided an escort to Dunkirk or Fredonia. Bradigan and his son Kyle along with Murphy and his son Matthew were picked up in Fredonia before the group traveled on to Buffalo. Barb Cessna with the Vets Finding Vets program noted that four of the veterans also got to travel with their sons, which was nice in that it was also Father’s Day weekend.

The group had a meet and greet at night where they met other veterans and the Honor Flight president and volunteers, followed by a breakfast buffet the next morning and then traveling to the airport to fly to Baltimore, and then boarding two chartered buses to begin the two days of tours through the War Memorials, National Mall, Arlington National Cemetery, and sightseeing around Washington. The group returned Saturday evening to be home for Father’s Day on Sunday.

Bradigan said he wanted to go on the Honor Flight to see all of the memorials, all of which he really enjoyed.

The group of local veterans at one of the many monuments they were able to visit on the trip.

“They were all unique and I was also impressed with all of the guides and personnel involved in the trip,” Bradigan said. “It’s amazing how many people volunteer their time to make the Honor Flight possible. I think all veterans should go.”

For Mays, he enjoyed connecting with other veterans and seeing all of the monuments.

“I liked Arlington Cemetery and the Vietnam Wall,” Mays said.

Johnson said he ended up on June’s flight because the leader of a veterans group that he is a part of suggested that everyone put a form in, and after hearing about it from some others in the group who had gone before. Johnson had been told it could take two or three years before being able to go, but he was able to go on this trip. For him, the reception on the return to the Buffalo airport was his favorite part.

“It was unbelievable,” Johnson said. “It was nothing like what I expected.”

The group of local veterans and their families stand outside the bus that took them to the Buffalo airport for their Honor Flight trip. Submitted photos

Stahl had multiple reasons for wanting to go on an Honor Flight, including the lack of reception coming home from the Vietnam War. He also has a personal connection to one of the memorials.

“The World War II memorial stood out for me,” Stahl said. “I loved it. It was fantastic. My dad was a WWII POW. I also enjoyed the changing of the guard and everything was laid out fantastically. It was great.”

Higginbotham heard about the Honor Flight as a part of his local legion where other members have gone in the past. He also wanted to go because he enjoys getting together with other veterans.

“Everything was wonderful,” Higginbotham said. “I liked the changing of the guard and we had four brothers in the group that got to lay the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The monuments and memorials were all enjoyable and the trip was so well planned. It was a good time and everything was perfect.”

Murphy said he was able to go on the flight with the help of his son who handled the paperwork for him. He added that he enjoyed visiting the Vietnam Wall and the overall experience.

“It was a little overwhelming because we didn’t expect it,” Murphy said. “It was very nice, especially since we did not get the greeting when we came home from the war. It was special to be able to go with my son. It was organized very well and Barb Cessna did a great job with us.

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