WAUPUN — In honor of their service to their country, a flight from Milwaukee to Washington D.C. and back was made available for 70 World War II veterans, including two from Waupun. The Stars and Stripes Honor Flight program allows the veterans nation-wide to visit war memorials at no cost to them.

Gordon Duer and Gerald Pluim took the one-day trip, leaving Milwaukee at 8:15 a.m. June 27 and returning the same day at 7:30 p.m. The veterans arrived in Washington D.C. at about 10 a.m. and toured the National World War II Memorial, changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and visited the Iwo Jima statue.

"It was a busy day," Pluim said. "So many people greeted us when we got in. It was fantastic."

An army band performed at the welcoming in the Washington D.C. airport while firefighters and veterans greeted the Wisconsin veterans.

"Lots of people were there with flags and wanted to shake our hands," Duer said. "It was great. They had the same thing back in Milwaukee."

According to Mark Grams of the board of directors for the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight, the program was started in Ohio when a physician assistant for the VA, Earl Morris, found out that many of the veterans had not seen the memorials dedicated to them because of health or financial.

The man flew several veterans to Washington D.C. in his private plane and eventually developed the honor flight program.

The first Wisconsin flight left La Crosse in November 2008. Since then, flights departed in April and June of 2009. Another flight is planned for Sept. 26, pending funds. Those who turn in their applications first are the first selected to make the trip, with the exception of the terminally ill. The flights depend on private and corporate donations.

"It's a really great program," Duer said. "They take really good care of everybody. I hope they keep letting other people go."

Pluim said all of the veterans in the program received a book on the war memorial.

"The program is fantastic," Pluim said. "It's something every veterans should go see if they ever get a chance."

Duer served in the Navy for five years, four months. Pluim joined the Army Air Force in 1944. According to the starsandstripeshonorflight.org, there are 665 veterans on the waiting list for flights to Washington D.C.

Donations can be sent to Stars and Stripes Honor Flight, P.O. Box 636, Port Washington, WI 53074. For answers to questions, call 262-238-3740 or e-mail contact@starsandstripeshonorflight.org. According to the Web site, donations from WWII veterans will not be accepted because they have done enough already.

dharris@capitalnewspapers.com