Twenty years of military service with assignments in Texas, Florida, Utah, Nevada, Alaska and southeast Asia were acknowledged earlier this year when Leron Allred of Star Valley, a retired major and command pilot in the U.S. Air Force, was invited to be a part of an honor flight program to the nation’s capital in September.

Honor Flights, funded through donations, escort veterans to the military memorials in Washington, D.C. as an expression of appreciation for their service.

Allred visited the memorials for World War II, Korea and Vietnam, in addition to seeing other sites that included the Capitol, White House and Washington Monument.

Flying large military helicopters, Allred logged 6,800 hours of flying time that included 83 combat missions.

His assignments centered on rescue operations. In southeast Asia, specific to Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, the major transported and evacuated military personnel, at times under enemy fire.

For this work he was honored with a Distinguished Flying Cross.

In Alaska, Allred was called on several times to help with civilian rescues in that state’s vast wilderness.

Texas, Florida, Nevada and Utah involved training and instruction with various helicopter assignments.

In addition to the Distinguished Flying Cross, Allred received six Air Metal accommodations. The medals acknowledged Allred’s work in rescue operations.

Allred’s honor flight tour included a day-long tour after flying from Colorado. Each visit left an impression for the veteran, but he specifically noted the World War II sites where “rows and rows of grave side markers,” are located at the Arlington, National Cemetery in Virginia. “Very impressive, a heart throb,” to see all of that Allred related.

Speaking of his own service as an Air Force helicopter pilot, Allred said he felt “satisfaction” for the assignment that took him to four states and a foreign assignment.

“My mission was a rescue mission,” he explained. “We saved lives where other combat aircraft did the opposite”

He added, “I had a very rewarding experience for 20 years in the Air Force.”

During that time Allred brought his wife Rosalyn and growing family, Curtis, Jan, Michele and Zen along to the many locations that became their short term homes.

As he completed 20 years Allred chose to conclude his military service and return to help on the family farm and ranch in Star Valley.

“Towards the end of my career, my father passed away and my mother was trying to run the ranch,” he said. “I needed to get home, so 20 years and one day, I was out of the air force and I was back home in Star Valley.”

His military service “means just about everything” to Allred. “We have one of the most wonderful nations in the world. We have all of the freedoms and liberties that we enjoy here as guaranteed by the Constitution.”

The retired major concluded, “I pray everyday that our Constitution be preserved and that we become united again. That would be a wonderful time. That would be a wonderful day when that should happen.”