G.E. Beaty shown at the Korean War Memorial on May 26 is the third Clinton County Veteran to be selected for the all expenses paid Honor Flight Kentucky trip to Washington, D.C. Paul Hunley and the late Lindle Castle were previously selected for the Honor Flight Kentucky. G.E. Beaty joined the Navy in 1954 after two years of high school and retired in 1974 as a Senior Chief Petty Officer.

During his Navy career, he served on three ships. Carriers USS Valley Forge and USS Independence (largest carrier in the Navy at that time) and the USS Valor, a minesweeper. Shore duty stations included Morocco, Guam, Vietnam and the U.S. Naval Weapons Station in Yorktown, Virginia.

The 75 veterans on the tour were greeted on arrival by a crowd of 300 when they landed at Ronald Reagan Airport. A cheering crowd of 1,000 greeted them on their return to Blue Grass Airport in Lexington.

The Washington Honor Flight Veterans toured the Smithsonian Institute and several historical sites. Memorials visited in honor of those who served their county were the Wold War II Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Iwo Jima Flag Raising Memorial and several others. At Arlington Cemetery, they were recognized and honored with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier after the changing of the guard ceremony. All veterans were required to have a guardian at all times for safety. Mr. Beaty’s son, Michael, served as his guardian at all times during the trip.