The North Star Honor Flight is preparing to take off from Rochester International Airport (RST) on its
third trip to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Mission 4 of North Star Honor Flight will
transport 88 veterans and 76 guardians to accompany them for the day. This group includes 8 Korean War
veterans, including two who will be presented with the Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal by the Republic of
Korea while in D.C.
Veterans will arrive at RST between 4:15 and 5:00 a.m. on September 16. A brief program for the veterans and
guardians will begin at 5:10 a.m. in the airport lobby before boarding a chartered Sun Country Airlines flight to
Washington, D.C.
Upon arrival in the nation’s capital, the group will embark on a guided bus tour that includes visits to several
landmarks. Planned stops include Arlington National Cemetery, the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps memorials.
The group will return to Rochester International Airport at 9:25 p.m., to be greeted by a large gathering of family
and friends. The public is invited to the airport lobby to welcome the veterans home.
The mission of Honor Flight is to take WWII, Korean, Vietnam Era and terminally ill veterans on all-expense-paid
trips to Washington, D.C., where they can reflect, connect and experience their nation’s gratitude firsthand.
North Star Honor Flight is a member of the Honor Flight® Network and is a 100% volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. More information about the program and applications for involvement as an honored veteran or guardian can be found at www.northstarhonorflight.org.
North Star Honor Flight serves ten counties in Minnesota and five counties in Iowa, covering an area that stretches from Mason City, Iowa, to Rochester, Minn., and beyond. The Minnesota counties are: Blue Earth, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Mower, Olmsted, Steele and Waseca. The Iowa counties are: Cerro Gordo, Howard, Mitchell, Worth and Winnebago.
To arrange interviews with veterans on the flight, contact Jill Klapperich at 507-259-9459. For information
regarding media arrangements at the Rochester International Airport, contact Mary Gastner at mgastner@flyrst.com. Media are welcome to attend the morning or evening activities at the airport. Interviews must be arranged in advance. Due to schedule constraints, impromptu interviews are unable to be granted. Information regarding veterans from a specific county and/or town can be requested by emailing info@northstarhonorflight.org.
