Donations sought to send WWII veterans to Washington

A new nonprofit organization called Our Unsung Heroes is putting together a program to send World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the National World War II Memorial.

The event is being called Operation: Hero Flight.

The veterans will leave the Provo Airport Nov. 10, after a farewell speech by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., in a chartered 757 that will hold 197 people: between 120 and 150 veterans plus escorts, a small medical team, six members of the Utah National Guard and a few media.

On Nov. 11, Veterans Day, the group will visit the World War II monument and other monuments on the National Mall and the new Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, followed by a banquet. The group will visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery Nov. 12.

The cost of this tour is $900 per person, $177,000 overall.

"We want the people of Utah to pay for this trip for the vets," said Paul McSweeney, one of the flight organizers. "It is the least we can do to show our gratitude for the great conditions we live in. After all, if everyone on the Wasatch Front gave just $1, we could do the trip several times over."

Contact McSweeney at 427-1397, 491-8159 or by e-mail at flyingnut74@msn.com.