Air Force veteran takes a ride of a lifetime

This story by Mari Huglin was first published in the Shelburne News on Nov. 5, 2026.

On Oct. 2, Shelburne resident Lucille Malaney began a journey she would never forget.

The 83-year-old, a United States Air Force veteran who served during the Vietnam War, joined around 30 other veterans for a flight from Plattsburgh, New York, to Washington, D.C.

North Country Honor Flight, based in New York and Vermont, is an organization that celebrates veterans by giving them a flight to honor their service fully free of charge.

Once Malaney arrived in Plattsburgh, the organization gathered the veterans before sunrise for patriotic music and a celebration of each veteran’s military biography and speeches. Sent off by first responders and members of the community, veterans then boarded a plane and flew to Virginia.

Malaney said she and some of the other veterans were getting embarrassed with all the attention so early in the morning. Around 200 motorcycles, 15 fire trucks and lots of people cheered them on.

“They said, ‘You all deserve this. You all signed on a dotted line that you would serve your country, so you’re all eligible. Don’t worry,’” Malaney said about what the organizers were telling the bashful veterans.

Landing in Manassas, Virginia, the veterans took buses to national monuments across Washington D.C. The group visited Arlington Cemetery, saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watched the changing of the guard. They then visited the World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Pentagon, Marine Corps and Air Force memorials.

Malaney decided to enter the Air Force at 26 to see the world and get out of Vermont. She was sent to California and processed X-rays in a hospital. She said when she finally received overseas orders for the Philippines, she was excited to leave, but her father died of a heart attack and her mother became ill so she was honorably discharged and went home.

The honor flight was special for Malaney because she said many soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War were not given a warm welcome home because it was so controversial.

“When the veterans who did serve came back, they even had rotten eggs and rotten tomatoes and stones thrown at them. They were spit at,” Malaney said. “It was just awful, and so that was another reason why they said you are way overdue for a proper welcoming and thanking you for serving, so it was quite an emotional trip.”

Even though she didn’t receive such a poor reception, Malaney said it was still emotional, and hurt knowing what happened to other veterans — many of whom may not have been in support of the war, either. Many young men tried to avoid the draft, even escaping into Canada.

She also said that it is important to celebrate veterans who continue the tradition of defending the traditions and freedoms the United States was built on.

The Honor Flight program organizes four flights a year honoring all veterans, with a focus on those who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Malaney hopes other veterans will sign up for the event. She said the process was simple and the organization provides everything including food, medical care and caretakers who are paired with one veteran each through the entire day.

“You’ve got to do this now before you’re either in hospice or you’re in the hospital or you can’t make it,” she said.

For more information or to apply for the program visit northcountryhonorflight.org/.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Air Force veteran takes a ride of a lifetime.