This is the video of our inaugural flight to Washington, DC on April 30, 2022. 

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area (HFCFA) is making final preparations for the first Honor Flight to depart from ILM in 12 years on Saturday, April 30. 

Giving credit where credit is due has finally happened for a 96-year-old Oak Island veteran. That credit meant John Zebraski, the oldest living Veteran of Oak Island Elks Lodge #2769, finally got the opportunity to receive recognition for his service via a trip on the Honor Flight.

Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area, a chapter of a national group that provides all-expenses trips to Washington to salute veterans and recognize the importance of their service, needs your help.

Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area (HFCFA) is a recently established local hub of the Honor Flight Network, a national network whose mission is to transport America’s veterans free-of-charge to visit memorials as a show of appreciation to those who have served and sacrificed for their country

“We’re so thankful that Honor Flight is there, because a lot of the men are getting treated today, the way that they should have been treated when they came home,” said Brend Weible, Veteran’s daughter.

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area (HFCFA) is making final preparations for the first Honor Flight to depart from ILM in 12 years on Saturday, April 30. 

A group of Virginia middle schoolers wrote letters to veterans of World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War to thank them for their service in honor of Veterans Day. "CBS Mornings" was there as the veterans read and reacted to the letters. 

Ruth Smith is “eternally grateful for all of those who have served” in the military. Since moving to Wilmington in 2015, Smith aimed to show her gratitude. On Wednesday, she announced the formation of Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area.

Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area, a chapter of a national group that provides all-expenses trips to Washington to salute veterans and recognize the importance of their service, needs your help.

“I can’t believe almost 88 years of age, this is the highlight of my military career you might say,” said Vietnam Veteran Lewis Bruce. “I really appreciate all these people have put in to make it a day for us.”

When Don Betz arrived in the U.S. after three tours in Vietnam, he didn't receive a warm welcome. “I landed in Newark and was almost beat up in the terminal,” he said. "That's just the way we were treated with vulgarities and other things when we came home.”

When Don Betz arrived in the U.S. after three tours in Vietnam, he didn't receive a warm welcome. “I landed in Newark and was almost beat up in the terminal,” he said. "That's just the way we were treated with vulgarities and other things when we came home.”

Honor Flight of the Cape Fear Area (HFCFA) honors veterans from World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War by taking them on an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. to see the monuments built in their honor. HFCFA also welcomes veterans with terminal illnesses from any era to join as well.

Live feed from the event held at the Historic Hannah Block USO Community Arts Center.