Father-Daughter veterans to fly on Old Glory Honor Flight’s 60th mission

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Ahead of Veterans Day next week, the Old Glory Honor Flight is sending another group of veterans to Washington D.C.. The trip on Wednesday will be Old Glory’s 60th mission. Since 2009, the non-profit has sent more than 5,000 veterans to DC to visit their war memorials. That flight wil include a father daughter, veteran pair, who will be celebrating service and family.

Lt. Lara Feldhause served in the U.S. Navy for nine years. It’s something she was almost destined to do. According to Feldhausen, “Lots of generations and examples in the family and I think if my dad had not been in the military it’s something that I would have not thought about.”

Her father is Bob Massart was also a lieutenant in the Navy. As a helicopter pilot and flight instructor, he served for five years in the late 1960s and early 1970s. “It was a way to see other things in life and find different things and open more perspective,” says Massart.

Next Wednesday Bob Massart will travel to Washington D.C. on Old Glory Honor Flight’s 60th mission. His daughter, Lara, registered him for the trip. She says, “I had talked with my father about if that was something he’d like to do. and so he agreed that that would be something that he’d be interested in.”

She was hoping, as his daughter and a veteran, she’d be selected as his guardian escort. So, so when word came down she’d be traveling with him, she was excited. Feldhausen adds, “I think, being with this group of veterans on this special week, being veterans day week, that sort of thing and understanding some of what they, the history there, just making sure they feel special and appreciated it’s going to be a great day.”

It’s an experience the pair is looking forward to sharing as father and daughter and fellow veterans. “It’s going to be a great day because a lot of those people on the flight will have similar experiences. It’s just a brotherhood that you never, never live down,” adds Massart.

And the public is invited to welcome the veterans home next Wednesday night at 8:30 at Appleton International Airport.

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