“Honor Flight Southern New Mexico & El Paso Celebrate Successful Flight 18”
On September 21, 2024, the Otero County Fairgrounds were filled with cheers and appreciation as three Vietnam-era veterans were welcomed back to Alamogordo via Honor Flight #18. The heartfelt event, attended by a large and enthusiastic crowd, was a powerful tribute to these brave heroes.
The “Welcome Home to Heroes” event was organized by the Patriot Guard Riders, the US Veterans Motorcycle Club Trinity Chapter, and Honor Flight. It provided a warm and memorable homecoming for the veterans who had made the journey.
The Honor Flight van, escorted by police, the Patriot Guard Riders, and the US Veterans Motorcycle Club, Trinity Chapter, made its way from the El Paso Airport to the fairgrounds in Alamogordo via White Sands Boulevard. As the veterans arrived, they were greeted with an outpouring of love, respect, and gratitude from community members.
The Honor Flight Journey
The veterans departed for their Honor Flight journey from Las Cruces and Alamogordo, with three of the participants hailing from Alamogordo. The group flew out of El Paso on September 19, 2024, heading to Washington D.C., where they visited several significant sites, including Arlington National Cemetery and the war memorials dedicated to those who served.
The Honored Veterans
The event recognized three local Vietnam War-era veterans who had proudly served their country:
Joseph Green:
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- Joseph Green served in multiple branches, including the US Marine Corps, US Navy Reserve, and US Air Force Reserve. As a Vietnam War-era veteran, he began his service in the Marine Corps as an aviation technician and spent time as a military policeman. He later joined the Navy Reserve, where he served as a photographer’s mate, documenting crashes and capturing photos of notable figures. Eventually, he transitioned to the Air Force Reserve, becoming a civil engineer and specializing as an electrician and generator maintainer. His service took him across the U.S., where he contributed to large-scale projects upgrading power grids on various military bases. Green served 3 years in the Marines, 12 in the Navy Reserves, and 16 in the Air Force Reserves, retiring on February 1, 1995.
Floyd Stringer:
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- An Alamogordo native, Floyd Stringer is a Vietnam War-era veteran who served in the US Army as a helicopter crew chief and gunner for UH-1 helicopters. Stringer was shot down twice within five days during his service. While he emerged unscathed from the first crash, the second left him with serious injuries, requiring 23 months of recovery at the Old Army Hospital, William Beaumont, at Fort Bliss. Floyd has a large family, including two sons, five grandsons, and two granddaughters. Now retired, he and his wife enjoy drag racing, a passion they’ve turned into a family activity.
Susan Stringer:
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- Susan Stringer served as a Vietnam War-era veteran Army medical nurse. After training in Alabama and at Fort Sam Houston, she was stationed at Fort Bliss, where she administered vaccinations to new recruits and later worked at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center on the Officers Ward. It was there that she met her husband, Floyd, through a mutual friend. Following her service, she continued to support the military community by working at Holloman Air Force Base’s Family Support Center, where she assisted airmen and their families with emergency aid and support services.
About Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico
Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico (HFSNM) was established in 2008 by dedicated business and community leaders with a mission to honor veterans. HFSNM also serves El Paso, Texas, and focuses on honoring the most senior heroes, including veterans from World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. Since 2005, the Honor Flight network has flown over 180,000 veterans from across the U.S., accompanied by nearly 126,000 guardians, to visit the memorials dedicated to their service and sacrifice.
For more information about Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico, visit https://www.honorflightnm.org.
