By: Alexa McGlathery
The Aviation and Aerospace Club at St. Michael's Catholic Preparatory School (SMCP) attended the Honor Flight Austin ceremony at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on May 16, 2026.
Honor Flight Austin provides complimentary trips to Washington, D.C., where U.S veterans visit the memorials dedicated to their service and sacrifice.
These journeys are offered completely free of charge as a way to express gratitude for the bravery, dedication, and selflessness of those who served our country.
“I found Honor Flight to be incredibly uplifting and inspiring,” said Chris McGlathery, a junior at SMCP and Founder of the Aviation and Aerospace Club. “I very much enjoy what Honor Flight has done and continues to do for our United States veterans.”
The SMCP students greeted 40 war veterans from Honor Flight Trip #105 and passed out American flags in a patriotic celebration of gratitude.
McGlathery recently had the honor to sit down with 102-year-old Westlake resident and World War II veteran pilot Llyewn “Lew” Griffith.
Griffith has participated in three Honor Flights and continues to inspire all who meet him. Now age 102, Griffith shares in detail his memories of flying a Mitchell B-25 Bomber during the war, completing 42 missions.
One of these missions was the successful bombing of the Brenner Pass in Italy, which cut off 600,000 tons of German supplies.
Lew also served as an engineer during the Vietnam War. “I really enjoyed my Honor Flight experiences, even met President Biden during one of the trips,” said Griffith.
Over the past 13 years, Honor Flight Austin has flown 3,276 veterans and completed 105 flights to Washington, DC, across the country, with additional trips planned throughout 2026. Members of the SMCP Aviation and Aerospace Club will remain involved with Honor Flight Austin and plan to attend more events in the future.
For more information on how to donate or become a sponsor for Honor Flight Austin, visit their website at www.honorflightaustin.org
