World War II vets enjoy memorial with Honor Flight to Washington
Ninety-five World War II veterans from the Chicago area flew to Washington D.C. to visit the National World War II Memorial on Wednesday.
The trip was hosted by Honor Flight Chicago, a nonprofit that coordinates the trips at no cost to the veterans.
The group boarded early at Midway Airport for a busy day that included visits to the Lincoln, Korean War, Vietnam War and World War II memorials, in addition to the National Air and Space Museum.
They returned to Chicago around 9 p.m. to a welcome celebration that included the Illinois U.S.O. and the Midway Fire Department Bagpipers.
Honor Flight Chicago has nine more trips planned for the year. Veterans are encouraged to apply to take part by visiting www.honorflightchicago.org, or by calling (773) 227-8387.
Here are the area World War II veterans who were on the Honor Flight:
Joseph Kujawa, Addison
Arnold Rusten, Arlington Heights
Frank Schroeder, Arlington Heights
Joseph Brooks, Aurora
John Conway, Des Plaines
Robert Kirby, Downers Grove
Wallace Kurtz, Downers Grove
Theodore Arey, Elmhurst
Stanley Bartecki Jr., Elmhurst
Joseph Nemanich, Fox Lake
Robert Sasman, Geneva
David Albert, Glen Ellyn
Edward Jage, Glen Ellyn
Robert Dillon, Grayslake
Leonard Adler, Highland Park
Richard Andrew, Hoffman Estates
Joseph Gross, Indian Head park
Richard Kinneman, Lake Barrington
George Kaiser, Lake Forest
Walter Burtan, Lake in the Hills
Robert Wallace, Lake Zurich
Franklyn Nipper, Lisle
Daniel Obriot, McHenry
Robert Tobiaski, McHenry
Robert Roelle, Mundelein
Walter Lambert, Naperville
Floyd Hoffman, North Aurora
Allan Walters, Palatine
Fred Turek Jr., Plainfield
Rudolf Balek, Rolling Meadows
William McCaffrey, Roselle
Angelo Regopoulos, South Barrington
William Springer, Vernon Hills
James Thoma, Villa Park
George Hazdra, Warrenville
Charles Mahan, West Chicago
John Kiser, Westmont
George Fyock, Wheaton
John Oldenburger, Wheaton
David Olson, Wheaton
Charles Schoenherr, Wheaton
Joseph Buttice, Wooddale
Jean Scheve, Zion