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On Saturday, April 23, life-long Green Creek resident and Korean War veteran Thomas Sidney Greenway, Jr. traveled from Asheville to Washington, D.C. as part of the Blue Ridge Honor Flight. 

 

The Blue Ridge Honor Flight organization began operations in 2006 as part of the HonorAir and National Honor Flight Network’s mission to transport veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials honoring those who have served in the United States military. To date, over 170,000 veterans from around the country have participated in the Honor Flight program.

 

Mr. Greenway was one of 93 veterans who traveled from Asheville to Washington, D.C. on the April 23 Honor Flight, the first such flight in two years due to the pandemic. During the visit, they met fellow veterans from other honor flights, such as the Honor Flight of Southern Indiana. Tom also met numerous D.C. residents, as well as visitors from around the world, who thanked him for his service. 

 

In a ceremony held at the Lincoln Memorial, Tom and the other Honor Flight participants were presented with commemorative coins by U.S. Brigadier General Rebecca Vernon and Chief Master Sergeant Ty Haskins. After the ceremony, Tom, accompanied by his son Marc Greenway and son-in-law Jeff Morris, visited several memorials before ending their day in D.C. at Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where they observed the changing of the guard ceremony.

 

Tom enjoyed the trip and expressed his appreciation for Blue Ridge Honor Flight and the outstanding volunteers who organized and accompanied the veterans on the flight.  “It’s a fine organization and they went all out to make sure we had a good and memorable trip. I encourage other veterans to take the Honor Flight.”

 

Submitted by Tracie Morris