OSHKOSH, Wis. (WBAY) – More than 100 Vietnam veterans will return to Oshkosh early Friday evening after a day of touring memorials and sharing stories in Washington, D.C.
The sixth Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight left from Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh early Friday morning.
The flight is done in partnership with EAA’s Airventure.
The veterans from around the state plan to visit the Vietnam War Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and the American History Smithsonian’s Price of Freedom Memorial, which has a large exhibit on the Vietnam War.
Action 2 News talked with several of the veterans before they left this morning.
Many of them said the highlight of the day will be the welcome home celebration tonight at the EAA grounds.
Raymond Schuh Jr., a Vietnam veteran from Little Chute, said, “I appreciate all these people doing this for us. It’s very special.”
“I had two cousins and a good friend of mine who were killed in Vietnam, and I want to get the etchings of their name off the wall. I want to spend time with my other fellow veterans and get to know them,” Schuh said.
Chris Berkers, Old Glory Honor Flight board member, said about the Vietnam veterans, “They need to know their community supports them. At EAA, it’s a world community. It’s people from all over the world and it brings attention to that and we’ve been told it heals.”
The Honor Flight will be the last plane in the afternoon airshow. It’s expected to arrive around 6:00 p.m. The welcome home celebration for the veterans follows at Boeing Plaza on the EAA grounds.
The community is invited.
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