More than 80 Hudson Valley veterans departed Stewart International Airport Saturday, Oct. 17, for Washington, D.C., aboard Hudson Valley Honor Flight’s milestone Mission 3,000.

The flight marked the 40th mission since Hudson Valley Honor Flight was founded in 2012 and brought the organization past the milestone of honoring more than 3,000 veterans with what it calls a “Flight of a Lifetime.”

Veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, accompanied by personal guardians, gathered early Saturday morning at ShopRite in Montgomery before traveling to Stewart aboard three Leprechaun Line buses. Motorcycle groups escorted the buses to the airport, where supporters lined the terminal holding signs thanking the veterans for their service.

Following a ceremony inside the terminal, the veterans departed for Washington, where they visited memorials honoring veterans of World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, as well as Arlington National Cemetery. The veterans were scheduled to attend a dinner in their honor at a Washington-area hotel before returning to Stewart that evening.

The entire experience is provided at no cost to the veterans.

“Reaching the milestone of honoring more than 3,000 veterans is an extraordinary moment for Hudson Valley Honor Flight and a tribute to the men and women who have served our nation,” said Jennifer DeFrancesco, executive director of Hudson Valley Honor Flight. “Each flight is an opportunity to express our gratitude, recognize their sacrifices and give these veterans an experience they will always remember.”

DeFrancesco also credited the organization’s volunteers, guardians, donors and supporters for making the missions possible.

Hudson Valley Honor Flight will celebrate Mission 3,000 and its other 2026 missions at its annual Lunch of Honor on Sunday, Dec. 6, at Resorts World Catskills in Monticello. The patriotic event typically attracts more than 700 veterans, family members, friends, volunteers and supporters.

The event will include a cocktail hour, lunch, dancing, speakers and a video presentation highlighting the year’s Honor Flight missions and participating veterans. Veterans who have participated in an Honor Flight may attend free of charge.

This year’s Lunch of Honor will recognize Westchester County Airport for its support of Hudson Valley Honor Flight. Since 2014, the airport has helped the organization expand its reach and serve more veterans from the lower Hudson Valley. The airport has hosted 15 Honor Flight missions.

“It is our pleasure to honor them at this year’s Lunch of Honor,” DeFrancesco said.

Hudson Valley Honor Flight is a nonprofit organization and local hub of the National Honor Flight Network, which consists of more than 100 independent nonprofit hubs across the country. The organization operates multiple flights each year from Stewart International Airport and Westchester County Airport.

It serves veterans from Orange, Ulster, Dutchess, Westchester, Rockland, Sullivan and Putnam counties in New York, as well as Pike County, Pennsylvania; Bergen County, New Jersey; and Fairfield County, Connecticut. Veterans from other surrounding counties also may be considered.

Priority is given to World War II veterans, followed by veterans of the Korean War, Cold War and Vietnam War, as well as terminally ill veterans.

The organization continues to accept applications from veterans interested in participating in future missions.

More information about Hudson Valley Honor Flight and the Lunch of Honor is available at hvhonorflight.com.