Tulsa, Okla. — The Cherokee Nation’s tenth Cherokee Warrior Flight departed Monday for Washington, D.C., with eight veterans who served during the Vietnam War.
The Cherokee Nation funds the flight for Cherokee veterans to see the national war memorials erected in their honor at the nation’s capital.
“This trip is one small way for us to say thank you to our Cherokee veterans. I’m proud to say that Cherokees serve in the U.S. military at greater rates per-capita than any other ethnicities,’ Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said. “The courage, commitment, accountability and integrity that these veterans showed through their service is something we could never fully pay back, but we will continue to honor them in ways that we can, and this trip is just one of those few ways.”
On Monday, a luncheon was held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa to present the warriors with vests and caps ahead of their flight to Washington, D.C.
“The Warrior Flight is such an unforgettable opportunity for our Cherokee veterans,” Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said. “There are so many Cherokee men and women who so unselfishly served their country to make sure we have the freedoms that we enjoy every day, so I’m grateful that we are able to offer this trip to them.”
During the four-day trip, Cherokee Warriors will tour the World War II Memorial, Korean War Veteran’s Memorial Vietnam Wall Memorial, and a number of other sites.
William Adams Jr., of Lowry City, Missouri, served in the Army during the Vietnam War.
“It’s an honor, I feel unworthy because so many paid the price and I just feel very fortunate to be chosen,” Adams said. “I’m proud to be Cherokee and I look forward to this as a lifetime moment.”
Veterans will return to Tulsa International Airport on Thursday, March 28.
The Cherokee Warrior Flight is similar to the national honor flight organization’s goal of helping veterans, willing and able, to see the memorials dedicated to honor their service.
“As a veteran myself, this trip is always important to me. This trip is not only a way for veterans to see the nation’s capital and the war memorials erected in honor of them, but it’s also a way to gain community with other veterans,” Secretary of Veteran Affairs S. Joe Crittenden, a U.S. Navy veteran of the Vietnam War said. “I’m blessed to be in this position and go on these trips and experience it with fellow veterans every year.”
Veterans participating in the 2024 Cherokee Warrior Flight include:
Vietnam
Dru Ella Pratt, 88, Navy, of Claremore
William Adams Jr., 68, Army, of Lowry City, Missouri
Larry Junior Parker, 72, Army, of Chelsea
Johnnie P. Walker, 78, Air Force, of Bartonville, Illinois
James LeRoy Locut, 83, Air Force, of Sand Springs
Charles Eugene Tritthart, 77, Army, of Edmond
Jimmy Cochran, 74, Army, of Houston, Texas
Jeffrey Simpson, 81, Army, of Stilwell
World War II
Elmer Scullawl, 98, Navy, of Casa Grande, Arizona, was also honored during the banquet.