LOCAL VETERANS SELECTED FOR HONOR FLIGHT TRIP

  

Former KWHI announcer and Korean War Veteran Clyde Averitt has been selected to make the inaugural Honor Flight Austin for Korean War Veterans. Also selected to be part of the inaugural flight are Travis Pilchiek and Pat Elliott of Brenham.  Honor Flight Austin makes trips to Washington, D.C. so veterans can see the different memorials for those of different wars. This will be the first flight that has been open to Korean War Veterans. Applications are now being considered for future flights. Veterans selected for the flight must have received the Korean Service Metal and made an application to Honor Flight Austin. Their Web page is “Honor Flight Austin.org.”

Averitt said he was surprised to have been selected for this inaugural flight being as how he is considered a young Korean War Veteran; he enlisted when he was 17. He thought the older veterans would be selected first. Averitt served aboard the U.S.S, Taluga (AO-62) a Navy oil tanker assigned to Task Force 77 of the 7th Fleet which was deployed three times to refuel the ships in the combat zone during Averitt’s enlistment, which is considered three tours during the Korean War.

Averitt said he has wanted to see the Korean War Memorial ever since it was placed in Washington D.C... And often thought he never would get the opportunity before he died. Now thanks to Honor Flight Austin he will get the opportunity. While in Washington the Veterans will tour all the different memorials and also the different service memorials. Saturday there will be a special program at the Korean War Memorial at 10:00 a.m.

This flight is being called “You are not forgotten” because the Korean War is known as the “Forgotten War” and the folks at Honor Flight Austin want the Korean War Veterans to know they are not forgotten. The flight will leave Austin Friday morning May 1st. and return Saturday night May 2nd... Averitt said he plans on taking a lot of pictures and to make memories.