Wheaton veteran Richard Colucci recognized by Honor Flight Chicago

A group of family, friends and neighbors gathered as “Honor Flight Chicago” brought a yard sign to the Wheaton home of Army Veteran Richard Colucci, 93, Saturday to thank him for his service.

Sharply dressed and smiling ear-to-ear, Colucci shared a few of his Army stories with his neighbors, who gathered at the end of his driveway.

Colucci's tour of duty as a paratrooper in the Army's 11th Airborne Division took him to Japan in 1946. He and his wife Sylvia have lived in Wheaton for more than 36 years.

In early June of 2020, Honor Flight Chicago suspended flights to Washington, D.C., due to the pandemic.

Instead, volunteers have been active checking in on veterans, launching card-writing campaigns, and organizing and participating in car parades and other socially distant activities to honor veterans.

With more than 2,700 veterans on the wait-list for a Day of Honor, volunteers have hand-delivered thousands of yard signs and window decals representing a personal thank you and a public acknowledgment of their service.

Honor Flight Chicago is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization.