Honorary Honor Flight mission for Jacobetti Home veterans

Within the last several years, many area residents have heard of the U.P. Honor Flight. It’s a group of volunteers that arranges free day trips to Washington, DC for U.P. World War II veterans.

Everyone on an Honor Flight trip visits the World War II memorial and other notable sites. But veterans living at the Jacobetti Home in Marquette may not be able to go on any of the trips, so the U.P. Honor Flight decided to bring the experience to them instead.

“We found out there were 88 World War II veterans here at the Jacobetti facility, and we thought that they should be able to experience what the World War II veterans and the Korean (War veterans), which we will now be taking, experience on their day to Washington, D.C.,” U.P. Honor Flight volunteer Paula Waeghe said.

This was the first U.P. Honor Flight honorary mission. Some of the veterans on hand this afternoon had been on previous missions, and were able to share some of their favorite memories.

“It’s just reminiscient of all the good things that were there with the various memorials,” World War II veteran Bob Schmeling said. “We saw some 11 memorials, but World War II (is) pretty hard to beat for a memorial.”

Escanaba State Senator Tom Casperson brought a proclamation with him from Governor Rick Snyder and all of the U.P.’s state lawmakers, honoring the residents of the Jacobetti Home for their service.