Thirty-eight Arizona veterans flew to Washington, one on his 91st birthday

Thirty-eight Arizona veterans and 18 guardians left for a free three-day trip to the memorials in Washington, Arizona's Family reported on October 20, 2026. Semper Fi Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, a veteran-owned company in the Valley, paid for the flight. Owner Jesse Keenan, a veteran himself, said this is the third honor flight the company has sponsored, and that he hopes the trips grow.

One of the travelers is Ken, a Navy veteran who served 22 years and turned 91 on Tuesday, the day the group left. He told the station an honor flight is special on its own, and that doing it on his birthday was hard to believe. He has been to Washington before, during his service, and said this visit would feel different. The stop he was most looking forward to was the World War II Memorial. Honor Flight Arizona, the nonprofit arranging the trips, has flown nearly 5,000 World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans from Phoenix to the capital. Last year Semper Fi gave the nonprofit $25,000, which let 68 veterans make the trip.