MARION – Eighty-seven veterans will take off from Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion early Tuesday morning and head to Washington, D.C. as part of Mission 12 of the Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois. The veterans will get to see the memorials there honoring their service. 

The veterans will return home later that evening and as always, they are welcomed back with a Welcome Home ceremony at the airport. It will start at 5 p.m.

You should bring banners, lawn chairs, and patriotic attire. Several food trucks will be at the ceremony with service starting at 5 p.m. There will also be local entertainment with the ceremony itself starting at 8:45 p.m.

Amanda Throgmorton is with the Honor Flight.

Since parking is limited at the airport, you can catch a shuttle bus every 20 minutes beginning at 5 p.m. in the parking lot at Sam’s Club and Cornerstone Church on Walton Way in Marion.