Honor Flight Chicago
Bringing Chicago’s Vets to DC – With Honor
www.honorflightchicago.org
Uncle Sam wants YOU for MAIL CALL!!
They were the men who stormed the beaches on D-Day at Normandy amid murderous
fire, fought in the jungles of the Philippines fraught with Japanese snipers, flew
dangerous bombing missions over Germany surrounded by flak and enemy fighters,
and were caught in the terrible typhoons in the Pacific. They were supply personnel
who kept the ammunition coming, and construction battalions who created ingenious
solutions for bridges, airstrips, and ports that had never existed before- in days. They
were also nurses at U.S. hospitals in France and England, helping to ease the suffering of
the wounded. These are the World War II veterans that Honor Flight Chicago pays tribute to with an allexpense paid trip to Washington DC to see the memorial built in their honor, and to those we lost.
Honor Flight Chicago is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to this mission. The WWII Memorial was not
completed until the end of 2004- well past the travelling days of many of these vets. Honor Flight provides the
flight, food, and transportation for this day of remembrance. From the send off in the early morning from
Midway to the surprises along the way, it is a full day for these mid-80 to mid-90 year olds. Highlights include
a trip down the Mall, and, of course, a visit to the World War II Memorial itself. On the flight home, vets are
treated to a few surprises, topped off by their homecoming to Midway.
But Honor Flight Chicago has a secret, and this is where you can help. After a day of camaraderie and
reminiscence, these veterans think that their day is over. But waiting for them, on the flight home, is the sound
of : “MAIL CALL,” the same call that kept their spirits alive during the war.
We ask families, friends, neighbors, and co-workers to write thank you letters to the veterans. However, many
have little or no family, may live in a nursing home, and have few friends or neighbors left. We want to insure
that each veteran gets a packet of mail. THIS IS WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP.
We ask that scouts write letters to these veterans to thank them for their service. The letters will be bundled
with letters from other volunteers, other local school children, and elected officials. We have received many,
many “thank you” notes from veterans that say that “Mail Call” was the highlight of their trip.
The following note is just one example of a mail call letter. You may even want to get your parents to write
one! We appreciate your help making our next MAIL CALL the best ever. If you have any questions or would
like to find out about further opportunities to join our volunteer team, please feel free to contact us.
Mail Call Letters may be sent to
Honor Flight Chicago Mail Call
6688 Joliet Rd.
Indian Head Park, IL 60525
Scout Contact
Barb Barkstrom
630-363-6994
[email protected]
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear WWII Veteran,
I wanted to thank you for the service you provided our country. We are currently
studying WWII history in school. I read a lot of information about the war, the Holocaust
and how it impacted the whole world. I have great respect and appreciation for what you
did for the World.
(You can put in your own story perhaps about a family member or friend that served in
WWII, escaped from the Germans or fought in the Pacific, tell them why you are
interested in history and what their contribution means to you.)
In closing, thank you for all you have done for our country and for me. I can enjoy a lot
of freedoms because of what you did.
Many thanks,
Your First Name (First Names ONLY, please!)
Your Grade
Your School
Your Troop
A few reminders:
*No dates--We will use these letters throughout the year for our flights.
*ONLY first names
*NO HOME ADDRESSES (Feel free to provide your school address.)