A group of 76 World War II and 1 Korean War Veterans returned home to Kalamazoo to an estimated crowd of nearly 2,000 family, friends and community members Saturday night, May 31 after their Honor Flight. After the 77 Veterans and their travel companions – called Guardians – arrived at the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport, buses from Kalamazoo Public Schools and transport from Life EMS brought them to Wings Stadium, where a homecoming awaited them.
Family, friends and community members welcome home WWI Vets
Part of the Talons Out Honor Flight Day included a free showing of Honor Flight the Movie, a documentary about the national Honor Flight Network and the Milwaukee-area hub Stars and Stripes Honor Flight. “Honor Flight the Movie inspired us to launch our hub about a year ago,” President Bobbie Bradley says. “Showing it to the community helps us tell our story, and prompts our friends and neighbors to find World War II Veterans to honor. It made sense to us to share the movie with our community, and Wings Stadium was the perfect venue.”
Due to community support via raffles, merchandise sales and donations, 4 more Michigan Veterans will be able to take an Honor Flight. Money raised Saturday topped $2,000. Talons Out board member Sonya Moyle called the evening a success. “The support of everyone who came out – from buying a t-shirt or a flag to wave, to buying a ticket for our military blanket give-away will help us honor 4 more Veterans. We appreciate every bit of that support.”
The Talons Out Honor Fight Board of Directors extends a heartfelt thank you to all of the supporters, donors and friends for a successful evening. The Veterans on Saturday’s Honor Flight enjoyed the homecoming. “Amazing. I never expected all of this,” WWII Veteran Bill Kowalski said Saturday night walking through the crowd. “It was a fine day. One of the best.”
Talons Out Honor Flight Bobbie Bradley says the next step is planning the fall flight. “We’re working with the airlines and Wings Stadium right now to plan our next Honor Flight. The current plan is sometime in September or early October. Look for more information on a specific date soon.”
Talons Out Honor Flight at the World War II Memorial
Southwest Michigan's Honor Flight: Talons Out 
To all Talons Out Honor Flight Organizers & fellow Guardians, I for one must say it was a Great & Honored Day for all the Veterans we took to Washington to see their Memorial & all the other Memorial Sites we visited!!!!! Everything about the day was just Perfect, from the whole gathering, to the weather, and to the Breath taking Home Coming!!!!! It was so Emotional for everyone including myself, Oh what a day for my Father-in-Law, Myself, all the other Veterans & their Guardians & all the Staff that made this Great Day Happen!!!!! I personally what to ” Thank ” Talons Out Honor Flight for all their hard work to make this event happen & I would be Honored to do this again for another Veteran!!!!! ( I just wish it was for my ” Dad ” )
” THANK YOU TALONS OUT HONOR FLIGHT ”
Raymond D. Monroe ( Guardian ) Eugene F. Zernia ( Veteran ) ( May 31 2014 )