Plane ride home after Honor Flight trip brings tears to Southern Nevada veterans

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Veterans call it a trip of a lifetime.

Honor Flight Southern Nevada recently toured war memorials built for them in the Washington D.C. area. FOX5 went along and has been telling the stories of victory, sacrifice and loss of life during war.

Some veterans could not hold back tears when they returned home from the trip. They were surprised by “mail call” on the plane back to Las Vegas.

“When many of these men and woman served, one of the things they looked forward to was an opportunity to get mail from home,” said Honor Flight Southern Nevada President Belinda Morse.

Morse made that announcement to a packed plane at about 30,000 feet over Colorado. Honor Flight staff then handed out stacks of cards and letters, written to veterans by friends and family before the trip. A child drew a picture of a person on a boat for Vietnam Veteran Alan Zach, who was in the Coast Guard. Zach was touched by part of what the letter said.

“When I grow up, I want to be in the Coast Guard,” said the letter to Zach.

Kim Duclos accompanied her dad, Michal Morgan, on the Honor Flight trip. Morgan is a Vietnam War veteran. She read a letter to him from his great-grandson, great-granddaughter and his granddaughter.

“It says, ‘Happy birthday. I love you, Papa. Thank you.’ I never said thank you enough for not only being the best Papa but for being my American hero,” said the letter.

Vietnam War veteran Chuck Mooney read a letter from his son.

“Thank you, because you have not just been a father, you have been a constant source of love, support and guidance. You have been and will always be my role model,” read the letter, which brought Mooney to tears.

He added, “He never even mentioned none of this before. This the first time. I know he loved me and still cared about me. But he never said it in these words, man. I’m so grateful. I’m so thankful. I’m so blessed.”

Vietnam War veteran John Allie was consoled by the Honor Flight photographer when Allie received his stack of cards and letters. Allie was too emotional to read the cards and letters and teared up. FOX5 asked what he thought about the stack of mail.

“I didn’t know that, that many people cared,” said Allie.

Honor Flight Southern Nevada is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Its mission is to honor U.S. veterans of World War II, Korea and the Vietnam War by flying them to Washington D.C. free of charge.

More information can be found at honorflightsouthernnevada.org

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