2 May 2023
Wichita, Kan. (KSNW) — The first Kansas Honor Flight of 2023 departed from Wichita early Monday morning for the nation’s capital. It’s the first of four charter flights scheduled for this year.
Five brothers who all served during the Vietnam War from the city of Corning, Kansas, northwest of Topeka, were among the 98 veterans on board. It’s a trip the Boden brothers say they have been looking forward to for a while.
“It’s a long time since we’ve been in the service. You kind of forget some things. This all brings back memories,” said 80-year-old Army Veteran Jerry Boden.
Jerry is the oldest of the five Boden brothers. At age 72, Bob is the youngest.
“This trip has been awesome so far, and I know it’s going to be good the whole time,” said Bob. “The best thing, we was talking this morning. There’s a lot of things we didn’t know about each other when we were in the service. So, we’ve been talking a lot about that. Which we have never done. So, I think that’s pretty special to me anyway because I didn’t know what any of my brothers really did because I was in myself. And when we came back, we just never really got together as a group and just talked about the service.”
For most of the brothers, including Don, Larry, and Gene, this isn’t their first visit to our nation’s capital. It’s a trip that’s sure to rekindle pride in serving their country and pain in friends lost during the course of the war.
“When I was there before, we had six guys in my company… that lost their life,” said Jerry. “At that time, I looked on the wall and found them all.”
When the brothers were asked if they could imagine the worry their parents must’ve felt sending their five oldest children into the service during such a turbulent time in our nation’s history, the Bodens had the following to say:
“I’m sure it was very hard on them. I know it would be hard on me to have somebody in the service, and especially at that time when there was a lot of conflict going on in the country,” said Gene.
“They were very worried about my brother. Gene was in Vietnam. My other brothers were in Fort Carson, and I was heading into the service. They didn’t especially like the idea that I was leaving also, but I had no choice at the time,” said Bob, who was the only Boden brother who didn’t go into the Army. Bob joined the Air Force out of high school.
After all these years, the Boden brothers also agree on this; they’re thankful for the opportunity to take this trip together.
“Yes, very blessed,” said Bob. “I know we’re not real old, but we’re getting there.”
“We always have a great time when we’re together,” added Jerry.
“Oh, I feel very honored,” said Gene. “Feel very honored to go.”
The five Boden boys are the oldest of eight children. They say their wives and families will be at Eisenhower Airport to welcome them home when their Kansas Honor Flight returns on Wednesday.