Last Frontier Honor Flight veterans head to Washington, D.C.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Tuesday morning, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport saw the arrival of nearly two dozen Alaska veterans preparing to board a plane for The Last Frontier Honor Flight that will take them to Washington, D.C.

It’s the 20th mission for the nonprofit that will host 23 veterans and their caregivers, known as guardians, from all across Alaska.

“We take veterans twice a year back to Washington, D.C. so that they can experience their memorials,” said Last Frontier Honor Flight President Randy Kimpton, adding there is absolutely no cost to the veteran for the five-day trip.

Kimpton said for many, seeing something like the Vietnam Wall or other war memorials up close can be a healing experience.

“If you lost somebody in combat, a friend in combat, you didn’t have a chance to say goodbye, they were just gone. So this gives them an opportunity to say goodbye, it also provides us, as the public, the opportunity to say thank you for your service,” he said.

According to organizers, the current Honor Flight includes veterans from 75 to 94 years old. The 20 men and three women live around the state, from Angoon to Anchorage, Ninilchik to Fairbanks. Most served during the Vietnam War era.

That was the case for Josephine Huskey. Now 82, Huskey served in the Army Nurse Corps from 1964 to 1966. She was stationed in the States, but as an operating room nurse, she cared for wounded veterans in the army hospital. She’s seen many monuments before, but says this time will be different.

“It will be a different feeling to have all these wonderful soldiers to be with,” Huskey said. “And especially for us old people.”

Joseph Frank Jr, originally from Holy Cross, Alaska, served in the army from 1968 to 1970. He’s never seen the monuments before and was excited for the trip.

“I haven’t been traveling or anything, so this is going to be good,” Frank said. “And I’m looking forward to seeing Washington, D.C.”

In addition to viewing the war memorials, the group will visit Arlington National Cemetery and witness a Changing of the Guard ceremony. The group returns to Anchorage on Saturday, April 26.

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com

Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.