Veterans who spent the day visiting the war memorials in Washington D.C. on a Show Me Honor Flight arrive back in Sedalia on a chartered bus Wednesday night. The Sedalia Fire Department welcomes the veterans with an arched water salute as spectators, out of reach of the water, crowd near the intersection of South Ohio Avenue and Main Street waving flags and banners. “We had four World War II veterans, six Korea, and 29 Vietnam veterans on this flight,” said Pam Burlingame, president and co-founder of the Show Me Honor Flight. Since the first flight in April 2008, 440 veterans have made the trip to Washington D.C., Burlingame said. The next trip is scheduled in the fall and will be the 12th flight

At January’s meeting of the Sedalia Landlord Association, the group donated $500 to Show-Me Honor Flight. Shown, from left, are new club president Herb Townsend; vice president Leon Richmond;  Jim Gaertner, representing Show-Me Honor Flight; secretary Brenda Sprinkle; and treasurer Terri Hunter.

Show Me Honor Flight recently received more than $19,000 in donations. Casey’s General Stores collected $13,361. WK Chevrolet and Bryant Motors donated $1,000. During the radio-thon, $1,930 was collected. Freddy’s Frozen Custard will donate more than $3,000. Pictured on the front row, from left, are June Kanak, Jane Chancellor and Verecia Cloughley, all area supervisors for Casey’s; Pam Burlingame, Tom Miller and Bob Chancellor, all from Show Me Honor Flight. Back row: Grant Dickinson, Casey’s area supervisor; Michael Burnett, Casey’s district manager; Ken Weymuth, Kyle Herrick and Larry Ward.

On Oct. 2, I experienced 22 hours that I’ll never forget. I was given the privilege to go on the 10th Show Me Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. Onboard were four World War II, seven Korean War and 29 Vietnam War veterans. I’d been on the flight once before, in the spring of 2009 with all World War II vets, but this was different.

Dianne Simon, property manager for Thompson Hills Development Corp., has officially joined the ranks of Sedalia residents who had been “flocked.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Robert Vaughan, of Green Ridge, shook his head in disbelief as he looked through the names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.

Terri Howard experienced a life-changing event on Sept. 28, 2010. Howard, a charge nurse at Fair View Nursing Home, got to escort two of her residents on the Central Missouri Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.

Terri Howard experienced a life-changing event on Sept. 28, 2010.

From the commemorative bricks on the Pettis County Courthouse lawn to the honor flights that give armed service members a chance to see their memorials — if it involves veterans in Pettis County, chances are, Vietnam War Army veteran and longtime volunteer Jim Gaertner has a hand in it.

Fair View Nursing Home and the Gold Wing Road Riders Association will host a fish fry to benefit Show Me Honor Flight from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the nursing home, 1714 W. 16th St. The meal costs $5 for adults and is free for children 5 and younger. It will include fish, cole slaw, baked beans, hush puppies, dessert and a drink.

The Houstonia Coffee Club recently donated $500 to Show Me Honor Flight. Pictured from left are Dean Dohrman, board treasurer; Don Hopkins, Pam Burlingame, board president; Gary Anderson and Charlie Guthrie, board member.

Casey’s collected $8,600 for Show Me Honor Flight in three regions during the month of May. Pictured from left are Dean Dohrman, board treasurer; Michael Burnett and Jane Chancellor, regional managers of Casey’s; Pam Burlingame, board president; Jim Gaertner, board vice president; and Bob Chancellor, board member. Not pictured is Grant Dickinson, Casey’s regional manager.

When I started writing this column, I had no idea how many tears I would shed. As I reflected on veterans I’ve lost over the past year, I realized it’s higher number than in past years. Each loss is bittersweet. Bitter because I won’t be able to visit with them again, but sweet because I got the privilege of meeting them.

With Memorial Day on the horizon, 40 & 8, Voiture 333, wanted to do something special to honor the memory of the late 1st Sgt. Billy Joe Siercks.