La Crosse-based Freedom Honor Flight to honor 95 area veterans

The La Crosse-based Freedom Honor Flight is scheduled Saturday to take one World War II, 18 Korean and 76 Vietnam War veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials that rise in their honor.

Of the veterans, five have received Purple Hearts, including two who each have two Purple Hearts. Seven veterans on the flight have Bronze Stars.

The Honor Flight serves veterans in western Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota and northern Iowa.

A send-off ceremony will be held at 6 a.m. at Colgan Air Hangar 4 at the La Crosse Regional Airport.

Celebrating the veterans’ return, a welcome home ceremony will be held at the Colgan Hangar, with doors opening at 9 p.m.

Family, friends, supporters and the public are invited to the morning and evening celebrations. There is no charge for the events and parking is free.

Any local veteran can register online to get on the Honor Flight waiting list here or call 608.784.1015.

Below is a list of counties for eligible veterans. Otherwise, click here to see if there are honor flights in your area.

Nearly 3,000 vets have taken the local flights since they began in 2008.

VETERANS ELIGIBLE FOR LA CROSSE FREEDOM HONOR FLIGHTS FROM BELOW COUNTIES:

WISCONSIN COUNTIES
CRAWFORD
VERNON
LA CROSSE
MONROE
JUNEAU
ADAMS
BUFFALO
TREMPEALEAU
JACKSON
PIERCE
PEPIN
ST. CROIX
DUNN
CHIPPEWA
EAU CLAIRE
CLARK

MINNESOTA COUNTIES
DODGE
FILLMORE
HOUSTON
MOWER
OLMSTED
WABASHA
WINONA

IOWA COUNTIES
WINNESHIEK
ALLAMAKEE