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Never Forgotten Honor Flight takes veterans to D.C.

Nathan Phelps
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With each stroke of the pencil, Clarence Suchon's name emerged on the white piece of paper.

Veterans on the Never Forgotten Honor Flight pose for a group photo at the Lincoln Memorial during a trip to Washington, D.C., on Monday, May 22, 2017.

For Andy Suchon, of Plover, and Conrad Suchon, of Stevens Point, the journey to get the etching of their brother's name from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was a long time coming.

Clarence was killed in Vietnam on March 22, 1971. Clarence was in the Army, and his brothers were in the Navy. Andy was serving on the destroyer USS Shelton, and in port in San Diego, when his dad called to tell him his brother had been killed.

Forty-six years later, his brothers again honored their younger sibling, this time as part of Never Forgotten Honor Flight from central Wisconsin. A group of 91 veterans — including the Suchon brothers —  left Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee on Monday morning for a daylong trip to Washington, D.C., as part of the Never Forgotten Honor Flight. The veterans were scheduled to return to Central Wisconsin Airport just before 10 p.m. Monday.

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"It was hard," Andy said about seeing his brother's name on the memorial Monday. "Right there are the heroes."

He pointed toward the Vietnam Veterans Memorial where other veterans in gold jackets and shirts searched for names and parents explained to their children why the names were there.

"I'm glad I saw it. It was something I had to do," Conrad said. "I always promised I was going to do it and I've done it."

The Never Forgotten Honor Flight organization has operated for eight years, well beyond the original vision of organizers who have shifted from primarily hosting World War II veterans to people who served in Korea in Vietnam. The flight hosted eight World War II veterans in April and has a few more on a waiting list. The group, which on Monday brought five Korea War-era veterans and 86 Vietnam War-era, takes veterans from northern and central Wisconsin to memorials in D.C. Similar organizations are in Appleton, Milwaukee, Madison, La Crosse and Superior.

“I figured we’d fly two or three airplanes full of World War II veterans and that would be our mission and we’d be done,” said Mike Thompson, president and co-founder of Never Forgotten Honor Flight. “As it turns out, we’re flying mission No. 28.”

Over the years, Never Forgotten has flown 2,388 veterans to D.C. and will likely fly 360 more this year, Thompson said. The veterans are accompanied by 55 guardians.

The day’s itinerary induced stops at the World War II, Korea, and Vietnam War memorials, the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force memorials and Arlington National Cemetery.

“We thought we're taking veterans to see their memorial, and certainly that’s the eminent goal, and always thought that would be their highlight," Thompson said. "But it’s the people, the welcoming they receive at Reagan National Airport when they come in. There are plenty of handshakes, hugs and tears, and the vets can’t believe the appreciation the people show at the airport. Then off to the memorials where the same thing happens.”

Chronicling the journey

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin is partnering with Never Forgotten Honor Flight and former Green Bay Packer Jerry Kramer to produce a video of the trip that will debut in December. Former Packer John Kuhn traveled veterans last May and hosted a video chronicling that flight.

A showing of a 30-minute film from 2016 is set for May 29 at the Cosmo Theater in Merrill. Admission to the 5 p.m. show is $5 with net proceeds supporting Never Forgotten Honor Flight.

Also, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin is again featuring weekly letters home from veterans from Memorial Day through Veterans Day as part of the Honoring Our Freedom Series. Letters and recollections of the home front can be submitted online at the Honoring Our Freedom website.