Honor Flight Arizona and the Arizona State Society Daughters of the American Revolution organized the nation’s first all-female honor flight, taking 32 Vietnam‑era women veterans from Phoenix to Washington, D.C. Over three days — and after roughly two years of planning — the group visited military memorials, DAR headquarters and Constitution Hall, and delivered a wreath at the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. The participants, who served across all five military branches, are also descendants of American Revolution patriots. The flight returned to Phoenix on April 9.
Nation’s First All-Female Honor Flight Honors 32 Vietnam‑Era Women Veterans
Kathy, a Navy veteranCredit: Credit: Arizona’s Family/3TV/CBS 5/YouTube
Honor Flight Arizona, in partnership with the Arizona State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), recently escorted 32 women who served during the Vietnam War era on a three-day honor flight to Washington, D.C. The trip — the first all-female honor flight of its kind in the United States — was planned over roughly two years to celebrate the veterans’ service and heritage.
The group departed from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and visited several national sites and memorials, including the Military Women’s Memorial, DAR headquarters, Constitution Hall, the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, and the Air Force and Navy memorials. One of the trip’s most solemn moments was when the veterans delivered a wreath during the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery.
Diane Franzese, president of Honor Flight Arizona, described the itinerary in advance and noted the special significance of making this a DAR-focused flight. “We decided to do a DAR flight, all females. With it being DAR, it’s really extra special,” she said. Franzese added that the trip would conclude with a dinner at the Women’s Memorial museum.
The PentagonCredit: Getty
“Just being with my sisters and sharing time in our American history,”
— Kathy, Navy veteran
The 32 veterans represent every branch of the U.S. armed forces — Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard — and are also direct descendants of patriots who fought in the American Revolution, a connection emphasized by the DAR partnership. The Arizona State Society DAR, founded in 1901, has 43 chapters across the state and highlighted the dual legacy of its members who have both Revolutionary-era ancestry and modern military service.
Honor Flight Arizona is the northern/central chapter of the Honor Flight Network. The chapter says its primary mission is to fly World War II, Cold War, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans from Arizona to Washington, D.C. at no cost to them, and its secondary mission is to educate young people about the impact of these conflicts. Honor Flight Arizona operates entirely with volunteers.
The honor flight returned to Phoenix on April 9. Organizers and participants described the program as both a public recognition of the women’s military service and a celebration of their continuing legacy as descendants of the nation’s founders. PEOPLE reached out to Honor Flight Arizona for additional comment.
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