Old Glory Honor Flight is gearing up for its 78th mission, and a local veteran is recalling his experience.
Mike Flentje served his country in the Army Reserve as a cook during the Vietnam War, though he admits he never deployed to the war zone.
This caused him to experience what is known colloquially as “impostor syndrome.”
“I really didn’t feel worthy of going,” he explained. “I thought the guys that were in country should actually go, but I had some friends that encouraged me to really experience this. We all went on a flight together.”
He was a part of the mission that took off from the Appleton International Airport on April 16th.
Flentje noted that the welcoming ceremony was indicative of the kind of experience he and his fellow veterans were going to have throughout the day.
“We got there and they gave us our breakfast and they welcomed us,” he recalled. “It was overwhelming how great the people were and how appreciative of the veterans they were.”
While the entire trip was, in his words, “incredible,” the big emotional high point for Mike was the moment his group stepped up to the Vietnam War Memorial Wall.
“You think of a veteran as a hardcore person, but we all were touched,” he admitted. “The guys I was with, they looked up some friends that they were with that didn’t make it back and that was very emotional for them.”
Mike also loved their visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, something he called an emotional experience.
While participating in the Old Glory Honor Flight is a very long day, Mike said it is “well worth it,” adding, “It’s truly an experience that they’ll never forget.”
Old Glory Honor Flight Mission 78 is funded by a combination of donations collected by Seehafer Broadcasting, American Legion Post 477, and Squadron 477, as well as through raffles, food sales, and the Tee It Up Fore Troops Golf Outing.
All are encouraged to welcome the veterans and their guardians back at the Appleton International Airport the evening of October 28th.
The flight is anticipated to land at around 9:15 p.m., and attendees should arrive no earlier than 7:00 p.m.
For more information, visit OldGloryHonorFlight.org.
