Nearly 90 Lubbock-area veterans will embark on a tour of the nation’s capital as part of the spring Texas South Plains Honor Flight April 11-13.
The group of about 87 veterans will leave Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport early Saturday and return for a welcome-home ceremony at approximately 7:45 p.m. Monday at the airport, according to Larry A. Williams, the organization’s outreach and veterans liaison co-chair.
This year marks the 14th trip made possible with the support of the entire South Plains community.
The flight’s first priority is WWII veterans followed by Korean and Vietnam veterans. Veterans with a terminal health condition are also given priority.
Since its inaugural flight in 2012, the Honor Flight has taken over 1,300 veterans on the non-stop Southwest Airlines flight since our inaugural flight in 2012.
While in the D.C. area, the veterans will visit the World War II, Korean, Vietnam and Iwo Jima memorials. They will also visit several museums dedicated to their branch of service.
The veterans also participate in wreath-laying ceremonies at several of the memorials, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
This year the group has 150 people going on the trip. There will be 18 staff, 63 guardians (some are veterans themselves) and 69 veterans.
Marine veteran and Honor Flight Committee Member, Frank Alvarez, will be leading the veterans into the memorials at each stop and assist in the wreath-laying ceremonies along with a bagpiper which greatly adds to the experience.
“We are especially excited to have a 100-year-old WWII veteran go along with us this year,” according to Williams.
This will be the first WWII veteran to go since 2019. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, they did not have a flight in 2020 and 2021.
This year’s flight is tentatively set to return to Lubbock’s airport about 7:45 p.m. April 13.
Be sure to check the Texas South Plains Honor Flight Facebook page for updates.
The public is encouraged to come out to the airport that evening and to welcome back the veterans with flags and banners.
“Many of these veterans returned from their time in the service to little or no fanfare,” Williams said. “Help them to truly remember that this was what we like to call, ‘The trip of a lifetime!'”
For more information about the Texas South Plains Honor Flight, visit texassouthplainshonorflight.org or call (806) 790-4635.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: How to celebrate 2026 South Plains Honor Flight this weekend in Lubbock
