Two Lawton veterans are packing their bags for a bucket-list trip to the nation’s capital after being selected for the Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., scheduled for April 14, 2026. Lawton residents Garry Swedlund and Don Sullivan were named to the roster for Mission #12, a fully escorted journey that gives veterans the chance to visit the World War II, Korean and Vietnam memorials, along with Arlington National Cemetery, at no cost to them.
According to a staff report in The Lawton Constitution, Swedlund and Sullivan are among the local veterans chosen for the upcoming mission. The report identifies Swedlund as a Lawton resident and veteran of multiple eras of American military service, and notes that Sullivan, also a Lawton resident, has been selected to join the flight.
Mission #12 Send-Off And Itinerary
The events calendar for Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight lists a Mission #12 send-off ceremony on April 13 at the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel in Tulsa, with the flight itself set for April 14. Veterans, guardians and volunteers are scheduled to gather early that morning before a police-escorted bus ride to the Tulsa airport and a full day of visits to memorials in Washington, D.C.
What Honor Flights Aim To Do
The national Honor Flight Network describes the program as a "mission of gratitude" that takes veterans to see the memorials built in their honor. The organization says priority is given to World War II veterans and to veterans who are terminally ill. Trips are provided at no cost to the veterans, and the group notes that the experience is often deeply emotional and restorative for many who take part.
How To Support Local Veterans
Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight is a 100 percent volunteer, 501(c)(3) organization that relies on donations to fund each mission. The group’s donate page outlines suggested gift levels, from $75 to cover meals to $1,500 to sponsor an entire trip, and reports that more than 200 Oklahoma veterans remain on the waiting list for a flight.
Organizers say that for families and neighbors in Lawton, these flights happen because of grassroots fundraising and local volunteers who step up as guardians and ground crew. Local coverage and event listings are expected to continue tracking Mission #12 as preparations move forward to honor Swedlund, Sullivan and the other selected veterans.
