Organizations in San Antonio partner to help WWll veterans take flight

Vet’s take flight onboard a fully restored Boeing Stearman Biplane

SAN ANTONIO – In honor of Armed Forces Day and Military Appreciation Month, Veterans United has partnered with Dream Flights to thank our nation’s bravest in a very special way.

Veterans United Home Loans representatives also teamed up with Dream Flights to enhance the quality of life for thousands of World War ll veterans.

Both organizations have curated a thrilling experience onboard a fully restored Boeing Stearman Biplane, the very same type of plane pilots used for training before heading into battle.

Veterans United Vice President of Military Relations Pam Swan said the COVID-19 pandemic put a major halt on volunteer operations whose efforts were specifically aimed at providing programs for veterans.

“Due to all these pilots being grounded for so long now, there is an outpour for veterans to get in-flight and for veteran pilots and active-duty pilots and airline pilots to say, ‘hey, we want to volunteer, we want to get out there and we want to get back to them this year,’” said Swan.

Together, Dream Flights and Veterans United have successfully completed flights for about 1,000 veterans from across the country. Seventeen of those veterans are located in Texas and three of those heroes right here in San Antonio.

Both organizations plan to continue with their mission of giving back to those who served. Navy Veteran Alea Schuyler said they can’t thank those who paved the way for future servicemen and women enough.

“They went out and fought for their country, you know, the honor and privilege of coming back and a lot of them didn’t make it and that’s the hard part, you know? So if we can do one thing for them and say thank you, that’s just one little thing and it’s just this one little thing of going back up and feeling that freedom,” said Schuyler.

For more information, contact Veterans United at 210-477-9460.

More on KSAT:

WW2 and Korean War veteran celebrated by rehab team at Methodist Hospital Metropolitan

Combat veteran desperate for return of service dog, offering $20,000 reward


About the Authors

Jonathan Cotto is a reporter for KSAT’s Good Morning San Antonio. He’s a bilingual award-winning news reporter and he joined KSAT in 2021. Before coming to San Antonio, Cotto was reporting along the U.S.-Mexico border in South Texas. He’s a veteran of the United States Navy.

Recommended Videos