PEORIA, Ill. – The Greater Peoria Honor Flight’s mission is to get as many veterans as possible to Washington, D.C. But, some veterans haven’t been able to make the trip.
“We’ve got some veterans, for whatever reason, either medically cannot or choose not to go out to D.C., like our traditional honor flight. And, we said, well that doesn’t mean we should miss ‘em,” Luke Rosenbaum, President of the Greater Peoria Honor Flight, says.
Rosenbaum says all veterans deserve a day of honor, and that’s the reason for Operation Penguin.
On Thursday, September 26, a busload of 33 veterans will be touring local war memorials, as well as the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall on display in East Peoria’s Levee Park.
“We got a hold of Peoria Charter, guess what…they’re gonna tour us around. We got a hold of law enforcement, and said can you help us get around Peoria today…everyone that’s been asked to help out has been graciously willing to help us out in every way,” Rosenbaum says.
The veterans taking part in Thursday’s Operation Penguin will be given their own day of honor, with a special stop in East Peoria.
“We’ve got the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall down in East Peoria, and that’s why we kind of picked this time,” Rosenbaum says.
Veterans will be treated to a lunch at the Peoria National Guard before making their way to the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall on display in East Peoria’s Levee Park through Saturday.
To learn more about Greater Peoria Honor Flight or Operation Penguin, click HERE.
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