MUSCATINE, Iowa — Honor Flight of the Quad Cities will take off for its 51st flight early Thursday morning.
The flights were grounded all of last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Americana Avenue in Muscatine, freedom flies freely.
"These are just a few things that were special," Norma Morrison said, as she shows some memorabilia and keepsakes from past honor flights.
In one of the framed photographs, Norma introduced us to her late husband, Bob Morrison.
Bob founded Honor Flight of the Quad Cities in 2008.
"The last honor flight he led was in September of 2015," Norma said.
A form of dementia grounded those trips.
"The hardest thing for him was to give up honor flight," Norma said.
On Thursday morning, Nov. 4, volunteers and veterans from around the Quad Cities will take off for the first honor flight in more than a year.
"It’s named for Bob and in memory of Bob but it’s really about the veterans," Norma said.
The 51st honor flight is also the memorial flight for Bob, who died in October 2019. This is the first honor flight since his passing, Norma said.
"Honor flight is a great term for it, because it is an honor to carry on his legacy," Jimmy Morrison said.
Jimmy is one of Bob's sons, and will be helping out on the flight to the nation's capitol.
"For there to be 5,000 veterans that have gone, it’s just such an honor to him," Jimmy said.
Jimmy's brother, Tom, is also going to be on the flight.
"I do have three of my own sons that will be able to go for the celebration afterwards and be able to see what their grandfather helped build," Tom said.
Bob left a sky-high legacy.
"I try not to think about trying to fill his shoes over time because that’s too tall of a task," Tom said.
When the crew returns to the Quad City International Airport on Thursday night, Bob will be coming home, too.
Norma will be waiting with a sign made special for this homecoming.
"It says live so that your children can tell their children that you not only stood for something wonderful but you acted on it," Norma said.
Norma will be there welcoming home her hero that freely gave freedom to ours.
Bob never served in the military. His father did, though, in the U.S. Navy.
Bob flew on 33 honor flights from 2008 to 2015. His family said being part of those was Bob's way of best recognizing our nation's veterans.
You can welcome home the veterans at the airport Thursday night. The flight is scheduled to land at approximately 10 p.m.
