Wright-Patt’s 445th unveils the ‘Spirit of Hanoi Taxi’ to honor POWs, veterans

For a dozen years, the 445th was home to that C-141 Starlifter. Today, you can find it in the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, a short drive from the 445th’s campus on Wright-Patterson’s Area A.

Sunday’s flight is viewed as a capstone event for Honor Flight, which for two decades has flown veterans for “days of honor” touring war memorials in the nation’s capital.

But Sunday will be the first time Honor Flight honorees have flown to D.C. in a military aircraft.

Or in this case: Two military aircraft.

“The Air Force, here at Wright-Patt especially, have been very strong supporters from day one,” said Al Bailey, Honor Flight president. “And it means a lot to us, knowing that the Air Force is going to be there.”

Honor Flight has grown to some 130 regional hubs or chapters since 2005, with Dayton-Springfield regarded as the project’s birthplace. (The first Honor Flight in May 2005 took off from Springfield, flying 12 veterans in six small planes.)

“It seems like yesterday we started all this,” Bailey said.

Honor Flight organizers clearly enjoyed the moment. Honor Flight founder Earl Morse hugged Bailey, a Vietnam War veteran, at one point after Friday’s ceremony.

“You’re awesome,” Morse told Bailey. “You’re incredible.”

Honor Flights become events veterans recall for the rest of their lives, organizers said.

“It is very hard to put into words the gratitude that I have that this program was accepted all across this great nation,” Morse said. “But it was. And especially right here where it began.”

Morse recalled working at the VA as a physician’s assistant, caring for veterans of World War II, knowing that many of them would never get a chance to visit memorials in Washington, D.C.

“Most of them were my patients,” he said. “Working at the VA, and being a private pilot, I knew that they were never going to see these memorials.”

Planning for Sunday’s trip has taken steady work since July 2024, said Col. Douglas Perry Jr., commander of the 445th.

“That shield will continue to visit new places and revisit old places,” said Mechenbier, who retired as mobilization assistant to Gen. Gregory Martin, who was commander of Air Force Materiel Command at the time.