The Sparta Post 100 American Legion Freedom Honor Flight will leave La Crosse with 100 veterans Sept. 22.

"I recommend it for anybody," said 85-year-old Robert "Bud" Whereatt.

Whereatt, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II, went on the Freedom Flight last May with his daughter, Terri Whereatt.

"I'd just broken my ankle, but I went," said Whereatt.

The flights cost $500 per person, and veterans fly at no charge.

Although Post 100 is located in Sparta, Gail Raddatz and Bill Bohn, co-chairs of the Freedom Flight Committee, emphasize the countywide nature of the effort. Thirty veterans from Tomah and 29 from Sparta have taken off from La Crosse since 2008, when the program started in Monroe County.

"It's all done by volunteers. It's like people just want to be a part of it," Terri Whereatt said.

The veterans are accompanied by a photographer and cameraman and provided with a photo album and DVD after the trip is over.

"It's not only an honor for the post, it's an honor for our sponsors," said Bohn, a retired Navy corpsman.

The Whereatts flew out of a private hangar at La Crosse Airport at 5:30 a.m. May 12.

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Freedom Flight Takes Off