NEWSLETTER
Farmingdale, NY (July 11, 2025) – American Airpower Museum and Honor Flight Long Island will co-host a Patriotic Reunion on August 2nd, reuniting 45 veterans who took a free Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. on May 3, 2025. These Long Island heroes visited their military memorials, commiserated with fellow veterans and exchanged stories. Honor Flight’s mission is to honor fellow Long Islanders who served in the Armed Forces of the United States, by honoring them with free, one-day trips to D.C.
Thanks to HFLI, these 45 veterans took a free, early-morning Southwest flight from MacArthur Airport to Washington, D.C. Veterans, their guardians and Honor Flight officials, visited Korean and Vietnam War Memorials, Arlington National Cemetery for a “Changing of the Guard,” the Air Force Memorial and Lincoln Memorial. They returned to MacArthur later that evening for a rousing welcome home by the Nassau County Firefighters Pipes and Drums Band, plus thunderous applause from hundreds of family, friends and supporters!
According to Veteran Bill Jones, HFLI President, West Point 1972 Graduate and U.S. Army Captain, “Our Spring Flight included 31 Vietnam War veterans who received long overdue recognition and thanks for their service. They were accompanied on this flight by 14 elder comrades, veterans of the so-called “forgotten conflict,” the Korean War. What this flight really represented was a ‘Big Hug’ and ‘Thanks For Your Service’ to ALL our veterans from Honor Flight, their families and supporters, who make such flights possible,” Jones said. Editors: See Excel file “May 3 Vets for Rob” for background on the veterans and/or contact Bill Jones for additional comments at (631) 276-8825 or ddbeach5@gmail.com.
On August 2nd, the museum opens at 10:30 a.m. and our reunion runs from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at AAM’s Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, NY. Admission for the veterans, their guardians and families, is free. The public is encouraged to attend, applaud and cheer our veterans during a “Ceremony of Honors,” as each is presented with a personalized Tribute Journal full of photos taken during their historic day in Washington, D.C. The public can attend FREE OF CHARGE if they arrive between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. After 12:00 p.m., regular museum admission is free for members, $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and veterans and $12 for children ages 3-12. For more details please call (631) 293-6398, Wednesday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or click on www.americanairpowermuseum.org.
This great patriotic event includes speeches by HFLI President Bill Jones and AAM President and Founder Jeff Clyman. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Band will play a popular patriotic medley known as the “Armed Forces Salute,” featuring the six official musical themes of the U.S. Armed Forces: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. Free refreshments for all provided by HFLI!
HFLI is accepting applications from veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Long Island veterans are encouraged to sign up by going to the HFLI website at www.honorflightlongisland.org. It’s important to submit an application, as that will guarantee placement on the list. Veterans fly for free, thanks to donations from across Long Island. They are accompanied by guardians, able-bodied volunteers who donate $400 (tax deductible) to offset their travel costs. If there is no family member or friend to act as a guardian, HFLI has volunteers ready to step up for the privilege of escorting our heroes to their memorials. Questions? Call Jamie Bowden at (631) 702-2423 or JBowden@southamptontownny.gov.
About Honor Flight Network
The Honor Flight Network was formed in 2005 with a mission of honoring our nation’s WWII Veterans by flying them to visit the Washington, D.C. WWII Memorial dedicated in 2004. The Honor Flight Network is currently comprised of over 130 hubs throughout the country dedicated to carrying out the Honor Flight mission. In addition to WWII Veterans, the organization now transports those who served in the Korean War, Vietnam War, later conflicts and in special cases of terminal illness or injury, Veterans from more recent service eras. Since 2005, the Honor Flight Network has taken more than 250,000 Veterans to Washington, D.C. Since 2007, Honor Flight Long Island has flown over 2,000 Veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit their military memorials. For more information, visit honorflight.org.
The American Airpower Museum is an aviation museum located on the landmarked former site of Republic Aviation at Republic Airport, Farmingdale, NY. The Museum maintains a collection of aviation artifacts and an array of operational aircraft spanning the many years of the aircraft factory's history. The Museum is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Educational Foundation Chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.