According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, only 620,000 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II were alive in 2016. The Honor Flight Network is on a mission to do whatever it takes to fulfill the dreams of our surviving veterans and help our heroes travel absolutely free to see their memorial in Washington D.C.

Imagine a plane full of veterans (most now in their 80’s) returning from a day in our nation's capital where they visited their memorial and to a sea of red, white, and blue, waving American Flags, and clapping and cheering in appreciation for their service to our country.

This was the scene Saturday night at the Greater Binghamton Airport as 54 veterans from the Southern Tier Returned from a day spent visiting the United States Air Force Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Marine Corps War Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial, and Arlington National Cemetery.

The flight was made possible by Twin Tiers Honor Flight, which is part of the Honor Flight Network, a non-profit organization, which honors America's veterans. Those who travel to Washington D.C. through Twin Tiers Honor Flight are not charged for their flight. Just one trip can cost upwards of $70,000 and the entire trip and operations are funded completely through donations, which are tax-deductible.

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