2801 N. Jaycee Ln.
Sioux Falls
SD
Seventeenth Midwest Honor Flight “Welcome Home”
October 10th, 2023
Sioux Falls Regional Airport
The Patriot Guard Riders have been invited to stand flag line for “Clifford & LaVonne Graese FoundationMission 17″. This will be the Seventeenth Honor Flight and the second of two flights scheduled for this Fall, 2023. The Veterans being honored on this flight will tour areas of the Nations Capitol and many of the Veterans’ Memorials in Washington D.C. and then will be returning the evening of October 10th to the Sioux Falls Regional Airport with a scheduled time for arrival of 8:45 PM.
We are looking forward to another great escort with the Veterans on flight number Seventeen. We have been asked to post a corridor of flags, in their honor, in the lobby of the Sioux Falls Regional Airport. There may be some changes in the way the veterans will exit the terminal due to construction progressing in the parking lot. As of now, they will exit, as they have been, through the north doors where the busses will be parked. When they have all boarded the buses they will be taken to the Arena where family, friends and all others will be waiting to welcome them back from their journey. The Patriot Guard Riders have also been asked to assist with the escort of the buses from the airport to the Arena and resume our flag line in the Arena as the Veterans exit the buses.
Stage: NLT 8:15 PM on Tuesday, October 10th at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport. If you are planning to participate in the escort, and/or the flag line in the terminal, you will need to stage in the Cell Phone lot with the buses until it is confirmed that the plane has landed. The buses will be parked at the north door by the ticketing area and the bikes will be parked in the lot North of the hotel that’s by the terminal. The SFPD will take the lead from the Cell Phone lot and to the Arena. The north door will be the main entrance and exit for all future Honor Flights until construction is complete.
Flags will be available for the flag line in the airport lobby and again at the Arena when the buses arrive there.
We have had many “Thank You’s” and positive comments for what we do. I hope that we can carry on this wonderful support and honor that we do for our Veterans. I know that what we have done over the years has been one of the memorable parts of each our Heroes journey, thanks to all of you.
Ride Captain: Randy Ward, A.S.C.
605-359-8719
reward1948@yahoo.com