Brian Rowell Daily Press Veterans are briefed before boarding a plane at the Delta County Airport during a past Honor Flight. Veterans throughout the U.P. will take part in Honor Flight Mission XXIII Thursday. The group will travel to Washington DC to visit memorials honoring their service. This mission includes 79 veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars from all across the U.P. They will depart at 6:30 a.m. and are scheduled to return at 8:30 p.m.

ESCANABA — Upper Peninsula Honor Flight, the local hub of the nonprofit network that flies veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the memorials that stand to recognize them and those with whom they served, will be making a journey out of Escanaba on Thursday, May 2.

The flight shall depart from Delta County Airport at 6:30 a.m. carrying 79 veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars from all across the U.P., a spokesperson said. It is scheduled to return to Van Rooy hangar at 8:30 p.m.

Since the Honor Flight Network was created in 2005, over 275,000 veterans from 128 hubs have reportedly been transported to the nation’s capital to visit and reflect at the memorials in D.C. The U.P. hub has operated since 2011, and Thursday’s flight will mark its 23rd mission.

At the local level, volunteers are responsible for much of the fundraising and coordination.

Donations may be sent to U.P. Honor Flight at 7508 J Road, Gladstone, MI 49837.

The experience is free for the honored veterans. An eligible person is to fly just once to maximize the number of individuals reached. Senior veterans, i.e. survivors from World War II and Korea, and other vets who may be terminally ill are given priority when it comes to arranging flights. Applications may be found at upperpeninsulahonorflight.org.