Local Vietnam veteran Mark Schelske recently returned from a whirlwind trip of a lifetime, being among 85 veterans on the Midwest Honor Flight.
The Midwest Honor Flight is a mission with the goal of honoring and thanking veterans from South Dakota, Southwest Minnesota, Northwest Iowa, and Northeast Nebraska, by bringing them to Washington D.C. at no cost to them. When in Washington D.C., they tour all the National Monuments as well as the War Memorials.
When it comes to describing the experience, Schelske paused, reaching for a word to fully describe the moving adventure.
“It was really something,” he shared. “It’s a long day but it’s definitely worth it. I’d strongly suggest it to any veteran.”
All veterans on the Honor Flight kick off the whirlwind experience with a banquet in Sioux Falls where they receive their orders which include waking up at 2:30 a.m., riding a shuttle bus to the airport and boarding a chartered plane to the Nation’s Capitol at 5 a.m.
Upon arriving in DC at approximately 8:30 a.m., the tour began.
Top priority is given to World War II, terminally ill veterans from all wars, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans. In order for Midwest Honor Flight to achieve this goal, guardians fly with the veterans on every flight providing assistance and helping veterans have a safe, memorable and rewarding experience. Veterans are flown on a 'First to Apply, First to Fly' policy.
Schelske’s grandson Mason served as his guardian. The trip served as an unforgettable adventure for Mason as well, having never been on a plane before the Honor Flight.
Schelske’s service in the Army spanned two years beginning in 1969, when he was sent to the First Infantry Division, stationed mainly in An Loc and Di An, Vietnam near the Cambodian border.
“We were mainly infantry soldiers. They sent us out looking for the enemy and we set up ambushes at night. We’d get heavy fire off and on. Most days you didn’t but sometimes you did,” Schelske said, adding that when fellow soldiers were wounded, they’d get flown out. “You never really find out if they made it unless they write you a letter, all you know is they were alive when they left. In DC I looked on the Vietnam Memorial Wall to see if any of my friends were there. I was glad to see they weren’t.”
After a day of touring DC and flying home to South Dakota, the veterans were greeted first at the airport by a large motorcycle club, then by an enormous, loudly cheering crowd.
“It was really nice. When we got off the plane these bikers were standing in line to shake our hands. When we got to the gymnasium they drove our busses right in and my whole family was there, cheering,” he said.”
Reflecting on the trip, Schelske enjoyed visiting the memorials but shared that meeting and spending time with other veterans was the highlight for him.
“Meeting a few of the other veterans was definitely my favorite part of the trip. I met a guy from Winner and a vet from Platte,” he said. “It was interesting to find out what their experiences in Vietnam were. I quickly found out they were very different than mine — but we were able to share in this trip together.”