About Us

Our Story

September 2, 1945, marked the end of World War II. Over 405,000 Americans lost their lives. Some of the bloodiest battles took place during World War II, including Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, the USS Indianapolis, Battle of the Bulge, and D-Day. Today, men and women who served during WWII are often called the “Greatest Generation” for they secured not only America’s freedom but the freedom of many other countries as well. It is altogether fitting and honorable that a memorial was built to recognize their brave sacrifices. Construction of the WWII memorial commenced in November 2000 and was opened to the public on April 29, 2004.

Earl Morse (Captain, USAF, Retired), whose father served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, was working as a physician assistant in a VA clinic in Ohio, where he would repeatedly ask his WWII patients if they had heard about the new memorial and if they would go see it someday. At subsequent visits, Earl would learn that the patients all wanted to go, but none had gone. For most of the patients, it wasn’t financially or physically possible for them. Reality set in, and Earl realized that if someone didn’t do something, these veterans would never see the memorial built in their honor and in memory of the many who lost their lives in the war.

Earl went to two disadvantaged patients and asked, “If I flew you in a Cessna, would you go?” Both patients were instantly brought to tears and quickly accepted the offer. Earl was a member at one of the largest aero clubs in the U.S. at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and pitched his idea that WWII veterans, who were now in their eighties, needed to be taken to Washington, D.C., to see the new memorial. There were two major stipulations that any volunteering pilot would have to accept: 1) The veteran would never have to pay for their seat to go to D.C. The pilot would cover all expenses, which could range from $600 to $1,200 for the day. 2) The pilot would be the veteran’s escort (guardian) for the trip. Eleven pilots raised their hands and stepped forward. A board was formed, funds were raised, and the first flight took place in May 2005 when six small planes flew 12 veterans to Washington, D.C. Honor Flight was born. At the end of 2005, the program had transported 137 veterans to the memorial and had also started to use commercial airlines.

Jeff Miller, a civilian who grew up in a family with a long line of military service, operated a dry cleaning business in Hendersonville, NC. Miller’s father served in World War II. He had heard what Earl had done in Ohio but wanted to do something on a larger scale by chartering commercial jets. Jeff shared Earl’s concern that his local WWII veterans would never get to visit their new memorial. In late 2006, over the course of three trips, Honor Air transported a total of 300 veterans. Honor Air provided everything: a medical team, guardians, tour buses, a boxed lunch.

In February 2007, Earl and Jeff met in an IHOP restaurant, and blended their two organizations on the back of a paper napkin into what we know today as the Honor Flight Network. Both were nominated by Senator Bob Dole for the prestigious Presidential Citizens Medal (the second-highest civilian award in the United States and second only to the Presidential Medal of Freedom). The medal was awarded to them by President George W. Bush in the Oval Office in December 2008.

In 2014, Earl moved to the coast of Maine to continue his work as a physician assistant on the island of Vinalhaven. Within 90 days, he generated interest in starting an Honor Flight hub (franchise) in Maine. Honor Flight Maine flew its first mission in April 2014, and since its humble beginnings it has transported 1,290 veterans to Washington, D.C.

Today, there are 129 hubs operating in 44 states fulfilling the mission created by the vision of Earl Morse and Jeff Miller. Over 300,000 veterans have participated in their Honor Flight, and not one of them has paid a penny for their seat.