Lake City veteran Dennis Boege travels aboard Freedom Honor Flight

Vietnam veteran Dennis Boege of Lake City was one of 102 veterans who traveled to Washington, D.C. on Labor Day aboard a Freedom Honor Flight originating in La Crosse, Wis.

The flights are day-long excursions that bring veterans to the memorials erected to them in the nation’s capitol.

Veterans travel free. Each has a guardian who pays their own way and assists the veteran on the journey.

Boege’s guardian was his son, Ben Boege, who is a US Army veteran like his dad.

“Participating in the Freedom Honor Flight was a dream come true for him,” Ben said of his father. “I was very lucky to go with and be his guardian. Dad served in the Army in Vietnam in 1968-69. He was 1st Leutenant as Civil Affairs Officer. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for wounds he sustained in combat.”

Dennis was on the waiting list for three years before being selected to participate in this Freedom Honor Flight, Ben said. “I think he was afraid that he was going to pass before he ever got to go.”

Of the 102 veterans taking the honor flight that day, one was a Korean War veteran, and the rest were from the Vietnam era.

Among the well-wishers welcoming Dennis back to La Crosse that night were Ben’s wife, Monica; Lynn Wise Schmidt; Nikki Eggenberger; Larry Kehren; Sharon Eggenberger; and Orie Kehren.

Ben urges veterans who qualify to sign up.

People can learn more about Freedom Honor Flight at freedomhonorflight.org.

Recently another honor flight program has begun with flights originating in Rochester. People can visit northstarhonorflight.org for more information about those.