A send-off event was held today at the Shreveport Regional Airport for 24 World War II veterans departing to Washington, D.C., on Brookshire Grocery Co.’s 15th Heroes Flight. The Company provides the all-expenses-paid trip to honor WWII veterans for their service and sacrifices.
Before the group departed, Brookshire’s CEO and Chairman Brad Brookshire addressed the veterans and their families. Brookshire thanked each of the men for their service and wished them safe travels as they boarded the aircraft heading to Washington.
Among the group were veterans Dwain Carder, George Head, Jacob Fisher, and Myles Grissett from Shreveport. Veterans came from other cities throughout the Ark-La-Tex, including Bossier, Minden, Tyler, Lena, Edgewood and Atlanta.
In addition to the WWII memorial, the group will visit the U.S. Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery and the Air and Space Museum, along with the Navy, Air Force, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Vietnam and Korean War Veterans memorials.
BGC has taken more than 400 veterans from Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas to Washington, D.C., since establishing the Heroes Flight program in 2010. Veterans selected for this trip are from the Shreveport and Tyler, Texas, areas. Several BGC employees will be on the trip to assist.
“Our Company established the BGC Heroes Flight to honor our veterans for their bravery and sacrifices to defend our freedoms,” said Brad Brookshire, Brookshire Grocery Co. Chairman and CEO. “We cannot say ‘thank you’ enough and are proud to take this deserving group of WWII veterans to see the memorial that was built in their honor.”
The group is scheduled to return to Shreveport Regional Airport, located at 5103 Hollywood Ave, on Saturday, Sept. 23, around 4:45 p.m. The community is invited to welcome home the veterans.
