Marengo native to take Honor Flight

CEDAR RAPIDS — Robert (Bob) Hibbs, of Marshalltown, formerly of Marengo, will join the 53rd Honor Flight Oct. 8.

Hibbs grew up and was inducted in Marengo. He served at four training bases in the U.S., including Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

From there he was transferred to Vietnam where he served as Courts and Boards clerk for courts-marshal within the 199th Light Infantry Brigade.

The Eastern Iowa Honor Flight is an organization located in Cedar Rapids that takes veterans on daylong trips to Washington, D.C. to visit war memorials.

Eastern Iowa Honor Flight was first organized in 2009 and has taken nearly 4,500 veterans to Washington, D.C.

All flights depart from Cedar Rapids early in the morning and return after 9 p.m. the same day. Priority is given to veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam and to veterans with health conditions.

The day is free to veterans, though they must be accompanied by a paying Guardian. Guardians push wheelchairs and make sure the vet stays with the group, gets on the right bus, and stays on time.

Joining the flight as Hibbs’ Guardian is Greg Twedt, who grew up north of Le Grand on Zeller Avenue. His extended family owns the timber area that has been known locally as Ferguson Forest or the Thousand-acre Forest and is now registered as Timberland Partnership.

Twedt is the principal manager of the forest and other lands including a quarry and farms. Through forest activities, Hobbs and Twedt became acquainted and have been friends for over 50 years.

All veterans having an honorable discharge are eligible to go on an Honor Flight. For an application or for more information go to eihonorflight.org.