Chadron WW II veterans on their way to Honor Flight

A group of WWII veterans left Chadron Thursday for Washington, DC, as part of the Honor Flight program that helps brings the aging survivors of that conflict to the nation's capital to visit the WWII Memorial. Although the first Honor Flight was in May 2005 and groups from every state have participated, this is the first from the Panhandle.

Chadron attorney Marty Connealy...one of the driving forces behind the project along with car dealer Rob Wahlstrom... says there will be under two dozen people in this first group of northern Panhandle veterans and guardians.

The veterans are being escorted to Denver by the Patriot Guard Riders motorcycle group, passing through Alliance, Scottsbluff, Gering and Kimball. The convoy stopped in Scottsbluff for a public lunch at 1 p.m. at the Elks Lodge before resuming their trip. Flag lines in Scottsbluff and Gering greeted the veterans as they moved through the communities.


Conneally says the Honor Flight trip wouldn't be possible without the strong financial support of the area. Nearly $11,000 was raised, with Cameco...owner of the Crow Butte Resources uranium mine near Crawford...putting up a major matching grant.

The Chadron car dealers have donated the use of 4 vans to take the veterans and guardians to and from Denver, with Big Bat's Shell donating the gas for the trip.

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