Miami International Airport, in partnership with Honor Flight South Florida and Eastern Air Lines, will host its third Honor Flight for 78 local World War II veterans on Saturday, Oct. 29.
After departing MIA Saturday morning on Eastern Air Lines flight #1941 — named after the first year of World War II — the veterans will receive tours of the World War II memorial and other military sites in the nation’s capital – many for the first time in their lives.
On the return trip aboard flight #1945 — the last year of the war — thousands of personalized thank-you letters collected at MIA from airlines, federal agencies and other airport tenants, as well as from local school children and civic organizations, will be distributed to the veterans during a traditional “mail call” for deployed soldiers.
The Miami-Dade Aviation Department spearheaded the letter-writing campaign and gained support from dozens of airport and community partners.
The Honor Flight event will culminate with a homecoming at MIA, estimated at about 8 p.m., where the public is invited to take part in a massive receiving line that is expected to include local and federal honor guards, airport employees and thousands of well-wishers from the community.