Many area veterans took an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C. Saturday.

The voyage was a part of the National Honor Flight program that enables veterans to fly to the nation’s capitol for free to visit to the World War II Memorial.

The one-day tour had stops at the Vietnam, Lincoln and Korean War memorials on the itinerary too.

More than 100 southern Minnesota veterans took the flight Saturday, about 20 of them from the Austin area.

The national Honor Flight program is based in Ohio, with hubs across the country. The southeastern Minnesota hub is a subcommittee of the Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial in Rochester and is strictly funded by donations.

All American GI Breakfast

When: Sunday, April 18

Serving: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., drawings at 1 p.m.

Where: Austin American Legion

809 12th St. SW

Cost: Free-will donation

All proceeds to Honor Flight

Pork Dinner

When: Thursday, April 22

Where: Hy-Vee

1001 18th Ave. NW

Serving: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Cost: $6

All proceeds to Honor Flight

The first Southeastern Minnesota Honor Flight took off in April 2008. Since then, it has averaged two flights a year and has taken hundreds of passengers.

There will be another area full Honor Flight in May and one in October for which applications are still available.

For more about the Southeastern Minnesota Honor Flight or to contribute go to www.semnhonorflight.org or call 251-4557.

April 3, 2010 Honor Flight Austin Area Veterans

Raymond Benjamin Ondov

Milton Alexander Flynn

Truman Rudolph Moen

Norbert John Nelson

Richard Joseph Kelley

Henry Jasper Blohm

Raymond Albert Rock

Joseph Gerald Chopski

Leighton Elroy Turyold

Graham Ross Uzlik

Robert Wendell Unverzagt

Lyle Frank Sellers

Erwin Lindel Strommer

Harold Cornelius Busker

Raymond Keith Sellers

Walter Leanard Martin

Herman Samual Foster

Robert Leanard Barclay

Verner Jean Harrington