10 Putnam Veterans On Honor Flight

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — Ten Putnam County veterans were among 68 veterans who flew to Washington, D.C. Saturday from Westchester County Airport to visit their monuments and memorials.

It was a milestone for Hudson Valley Honor Flight, the nonprofit organization's 30th flight, bringing the total number of veterans honored by HVHF to 2,312. Flights take veterans on an all-expense paid trip to visit the war memorials in Washington, DC. Veterans travel by a police-escorted bus convoy in DC for the daylong trip and return home the same evening.

HVHF is the local hub of the National Honor Flight Network, which has more than 100 independent, nonprofit hubs nationwide.

Among the distinguished passengers were two county employees from the Veterans Service Agency, Vietnam Veterans Steve Seid and Director of the Putnam County Veterans Service Agency Karl Rohde. Each Veteran on the flight is assigned a “Guardian” providing them dedicated support throughout their trip. Seid’s son Greg served as his Guardian, with Megan Castellano of Joseph P. Dwyer Vet2Vet/Guardian Revival acting as Rohde’s Guardian. Putnam County Legislator Erin Lee Crowley also joined the mission as a Guardian for Vietnam Veteran Freddy Wennberg of Mahopac.

The remaining 7 Putnam County Veterans on the flight included 5 Vietnam Veterans (Joseph Jacysyn, John Wighton, Daniel Dillon, John Healey, and Kevin Neary) 1 Korean War Veteran (Harold Demarsh), and 1 World War II Veteran (Amedio Buttiglione).

The day began with an emotional send-off at commencing at 6:30am. County Executive Kevin Byrne, who attended the event, expressed his deep appreciation for the Veterans and their service, stating, "It’s an incredible experience to watch these esteemed Veterans depart for an Honor Flight mission. I encourage everyone to attend an Honor Flight send-off or Welcome Home. We are forever indebted to these brave men and women who have selflessly served our country. Their dedication and sacrifice continue to inspire us all."

Karl Rohde, Director of the Putnam County Veterans Service Agency, expressed his appreciation for being part of the 30th Honor Flight, saying, "It is a privilege to join my fellow Veterans on this transformative journey. The Hudson Valley Honor Flight not only allows us to visit the memorials that pay tribute to our service but also offers a unique opportunity for camaraderie and reflection. I am deeply grateful to everyone involved in making this experience possible."

Legislator Erin Lee Crowley, who served as a Guardian during the trip, shared her sentiments, stating, "Accompanying our Veterans on this Honor Flight has been an incredibly humbling experience. Their stories and their dedication to our country are truly awe-inspiring. It is an honor to offer support and gratitude as we visit the memorials together, ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten."

Mission 30 honored the most Vietnam vet of any Westchester flight, with 57 taking part, HVHF said on its website. There were also four World War II veterans, six Korea veterans and one Cold War-era veteran set to receive the honor and travel to D.C. to visit and reflect at the various war memorials.

"It’s hard to believe it has been nine years since October 18, 2014 and our first Mission flying WWII Veterans from Westchester County Airport," said Frank Kimler, HVHF Board Chairman on the site. "We are honored, thrilled and humbled to be honoring our next generation of American heroes, our Vietnam veterans, with this same experience of a lifetime on our 30th Mission on May 20th."

World War II, Korean and Vietnam veterans from the following counties who have not previously taken part in a Hudson Valley Honor Flight are eligible to participate: Orange, Ulster, Dutchess, Westchester, Rockland, Sullivan, Putnam, Pike (Pa.), Bergen (N.J.), and Fairfield (Conn.). In addition, veterans who served in the time between World War II and the Korean War are eligible to participate. Applications can be found online atwww.hvhonorflight.com. While the application asks if you have a guardian that would like to accompany you on the trip, HVHF has many eager volunteers on its waiting list who would love the privilege of escorting one of the veterans.