By Karen Donato, Special to The County
This past fall Jerry Riley, accompanied by his son Jerad, joined other veterans flying from Maine to Washington, D.C. as guests of Honor Flight Maine. Elwood Prosser, was also a participant on another flight last year. His younger brother Conrad who had also served in the Army from 1982-86, accompanied him on the trip.
The Honor Flight program began several years ago by Earl Morse, a physician assistant and Air Force captain working at a VA clinic in Ohio. At that time, Morse realized many of his patients, in their 80s could not travel the distance from their residence or afford to visit the memorial in Washington, D.C. that had been constructed to honor them.
In 2005 he organized some private pilots and planes to take a few of the veterans to the memorials. About the same time, Jeff Miller was initiating a similar program called Honor Air in North Carolina. Morse later partnered with Miller and expanded the program to commercial flights. The program that initially catered to World War II veterans expanded to include Korean and Vietnam War participants and those veterans who are terminally ill. This nationwide program provides veterans an experience to be a guest and escorted to each national monument in the D.C. area.
The Maine group was established in 2014 with the purpose of ensuring these brave men and women have an opportunity to visit the memorials in Washington, D.C. Veterans incur no cost and are treated royally. The organization covers the cost of $1,000 for each veteran through donations. Each veteran must be accompanied by an able-bodied guardian, which does cost an individual $500.
Riley spent three years in the United States Army after graduating from Houlton High in 1963. He did his basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and AIT at Fort Gordon, Georgia. From there, he served in Vietnam from March of 1967 to October of 1968 with Central Highlands-II Corps. Upon his return stateside he was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia for almost a year until his discharge in August of 1969.
Returning to Houlton, he spent many years in banking while he and his wife Glenda raised their daughter Amy and son Jerad. Since retirement he has continued to serve his country by volunteering to play taps at hundreds of veteran’s funerals from Lincoln to Madawaska. He most recently received the 2025 Adjutant of the Year award for his many years of dedicated loyal service to his community and veterans of the state of Maine and the American Legion. He has also been a longtime participant of McGill’s Community Band.
Back in the 1960s the Prossers lived at the end of the Ross Ridge in Littleton, not far from me on the Station Road. The Ralph and Naiomi Prosser family had 10 children, Lewis, Elwood, Lorraine, Stephen, Michael, Nancy, Brenda, Paul, Conrad and Daniel.
We all attended Littleton Consolidated School together until eighth grade and then attended Houlton High School. After high school Elwood enlisted in the Army, and he, like Riley, did his basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
Other assignments were at Fort Polk, Louisiana, Fort Benning, Georgia, Vietnam, Panama, Korea and Germany. He completed his career in 1992. After his time in the Army, he settled in Alabama and just recently returned to his hometown.
Their sister, Brenda Gregoire had filled out the paperwork and waited almost two years before she was notified that it was their turn to go. Their trip originated in Portland. The experience included a visit to Fort McHenry, and dinner at Freedom Inn at Fort Meade. During the evening, they were entertained by the Six-String Soldiers of the United States Army Field Band. They were joined at their table by service members attending advanced school training at the base.
Conversation at dinner included comparing notes with soldiers from today’s Army versus “back in the day.”
On Saturday, there were eight stops which included: Marine Corp War Memorial, Air Force Memorial, Navy Memorial, Military Women’s Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It was at the wall that Elwood met up with a former high school friend, Sherry Jackins Whittier, who helped record the event for him.
This was a very moving experience for all, as names of fallen comrades were remembered including Houlton High School alumni Stephen Porter and Harry McGuire III.
Other stops were at the Korean War Memorial, where they watched the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the laying of the wreath in Arlington Cemetery and the World War II Memorial.
The Saturday evening meal was sponsored by the local American Legion and again the attendees received special treatment by all. As the participants arrived at the venue, service members from every military branch lined up rendering a salute honoring the veterans and helping to serve them.
Both Riley and Prosser expressed how emotional this journey was, a trip of a lifetime and one they will never forget. They were waited on every minute of each day. They were so appreciative of the Honor Flight of Maine organization and even their welcome back to airports of origin left lasting impressions on all. The veterans both received special mementos and a photo book featuring photos taken during their trip.
Maine flights originate from both Bangor and Portland. There are 450 veterans on a waiting list, so support is needed for this program. There are also other Honor Flight groups in the United States.
If one is interested in learning more about the organization or to donate, visit www.honorflightmaine.org.
