30-04-2025
Five local WWII Veterans take off to visit the National WWII Museum
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — Since 2015, the Gary Sinise Foundation has been bringing World War II veterans to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans through its Soaring Valor initiative to visit the museum and spread awareness and education on the importance of service and sacrifice. Five local World War II veterans are getting the chance to visit the museum this week.
'The Gary Sinise Foundation is a wonderful organization, not only for veterans, but for first responders in their families as well they go over and above their support of these folks for veterans in particular it's great that you know they're reaching out and getting World War II veterans down to the museum that was built for them,' said guardian Martin Leamy.
Central and Southwest Virginia Honor Flight CEO Martin Leamy is known for taking veterans to Washington, D.C. twice a year for the Honor Flight. This week he is part of a different mission. Leamy and 5 other guardians are taking 5 local World War II veterans to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The veterans are excited about this opportunity courtesy of the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Before the veterans took off they got a heroes send off from the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport. Even during take off the airport firetrucks gave a water splash off.
The five local World War II veterans will link up with the rest of the Gary Sinise Foundation Soaring Valor group in Nashville before taking off Wednesday for New Orleans and the museum. The veterans will spend two days checking out the museum.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
