By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Honor Flight is looking for a few good women.
Women veterans, that is, to go on the first all-women veterans Honor Flight from Columbus.
“This is the first one I’m aware of” just for women, said Dave Chilson, of Bowling Green, who has been very involved in the Honor Flights from the Toledo area.
The one-day trip to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 10, will be free to about 80 veterans as a thank you for their service.
“This is an appeal to spread to word, so they can be honored and recognized as they so well deserve to be,” Chilson said. “I don’t know how many women veterans there are. That’s why we’re getting the word out.”
One of the local women enlisting for the flight is Emmy Hann, of Bowling Green. Hann, 85, served in the Army, Women Medical Specialist Corp from 1952 to 1956 as a dietetic intern and commissioned officer.
“I loved the experience so much that I extended it,” she said.
She trained at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, and worked at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Her husband, Bill, was a Korean War veteran.
Until now, Hann never applied to go on an Honor Flight to the nation’s capital.
“I always felt the opportunity should go to the people who had been in the trenches,” she said.
But Honor Flight clearly believes Hann and other women are deserving of the recognition.
And Hann is looking forward to talking with other women who served their country. “I’m interested in finding out what kind of lives other women have had.”
As is customary, Honor Flight will give priority to veterans of older wars first – World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Honor Flights trips have “guardians” that accompany each veteran. In this case, most will also be women, Chilson said.
“As much as possible, they are looking for women to be guardians,” he said.
The trip will visit many of the customary sites, but also be designed specifically for the women veterans, Chilson said. The group will spend more time than usual at the Women in Military Service Memorial.
“That’s a wonderful memorial. It is fantastic,” he said. “We will tailor this somewhat knowing all of the veterans will be women.”
Though she has been to Washington, D.C., many times, Hann said she is particularly interested in visiting the women’s military memorial.
“I’m looking forward to seeing that,” she said.
Applications for the all women veterans Honor Flight are available at www.HonorFlightColumbus.org – click on “Veteran Application” or call the office at 614-284-4987.
The application deadline for this special flight is July 11. Applications will be processed in the order received. Selected veterans will be notified by July 30.
