MOLINE, Ill. — The Honor Flight of the Quad Cities returned home Tuesday night for the 52nd time.
More than 90 veterans participated in this flight, along with about 60 volunteer "guardians" to help the veterans throughout the day.
This flight was designated as the "Galva" area flight, honoring the volunteers, supporters and fundraisers from the area, according to a statement from Honor Flight of the Quad Cities.
Most of the veterans who participated in this flight are from the Henry, Knox, Mercer, Warren and Stark county areas in Illinois.
This is the first honor flight from the Quad Cities in 2022, and only the second since honor flights resumed in November 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first flight after the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were lifted was the "Bob Morrison Memorial Flight." That flight honored the man who first brought honor flights to the area more than a decade ago.
There are three more honor flights scheduled in 2022. Those flights are on Tuesdays: May 24, Oct. 4 and Nov. 8.
Any veteran that served during World War II, Korean War or Vietnam War is eligible to participate in an honor flight. You can find an application here.
The Honor Flight of the Quad Cities is also looking for "guardians" to assist on future honor flights. Those guardians help veterans through the airports and on the monuments tour. Guardians also donate $400 to cover their own travel expenses, according to the Honor Flight of the Quad Cities website.
To learn more about being a guardian and to find an application, click here.