SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Eight senior veterans from Bear Hollow Gracious Retirement Living and Sequoia Grove Gracious Retirement Living will soon take to the skies in a once-in-a-lifetime experience, courtesy of Dream Flights, a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring military service by providing veterans with complimentary flights in restored World War II-era biplanes.

On Tuesday, May 13, at 9 a.m., the veterans will board a fully restored Stearman biplane, the same model used to train military aviators in the 1940s. The 15-minute flight offers a thrilling open-cockpit experience 1,000 feet above Mather Field, a moving tribute to the freedom they helped secure.

“This is more than a flight,” said Stefan Walz, activity coordinator at Bear Hollow. “It’s a deeply emotional and powerful opportunity to say thank you to these veterans for their courage, service, and sacrifice.”

All eight veterans will receive a signed commemorative hat from their pilot following the flight and will have the opportunity to pose with family members in front of the aircraft. A time-honored tradition allows World War II veterans to sign their name on the tail of the plane, a practice that began during Dream Flights’ historic Operation September Freedom tour in 2021, which honored 891 World War II veterans across 47 states.

Founded in 2011, Dream Flights has honored more than 7,000 military veterans across 49 states. Piloted by active duty or retired military veterans and commercial airline pilots, the nonprofit organization operates the nation’s largest fleet of restored, fully operational World War II-era Stearman biplanes. Flights are always free for participants and funded by donors and sponsors. Learn more or donate at bit.ly/3ZkqlxR.