The Peru Gazette

Plattsburgh – North Country Honor Flights #66 and #67 took to the skies on Saturday, October 4, 2025. Dave Brown took photos of the Send-Off Ceremony and allowed the Peru Gazette to post them. Thank you! Dave.  Gina Bond provided the veteran biographies. The following veterans flew on Flight #67.  Jack Bitter Jr., US Army, 1968-1970, […]

North Country Honor Flights #66 and #67 took to the skies on Saturday, October 4, 2025. Dave Brown took photos of the Send-Off Ceremony and allowed the Peru Gazette to post them. Thank you! Dave.  Gina Bond provided the veteran biographies. These veterans flew on Flight #66.  Daniel Ballantine, US Air Force, 1968-1989, Vietnam Daniel’s specialty […]

Sept. 28 – [PLATTSBURGH, NY] – North Country Honor Flight is proud to announce its upcoming Flights 66 and 67 on Saturday, October 4, 2025, honoring North Country veterans with a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Washington, D.C. This dual mission marks a monumental accomplishment — more than 1,000 North Country veterans will have flown with North […]

Flight 65 flew on September 6, 2025  Stanley Abramczyk Jr. , US Air Force 1963-1986 Vietnam Stan planned to join the Navy, but fate stepped in—the only recruiter there that day was from the Air Force. He pitched aircraft maintenance, and Stan never looked back. For 23 years, he loved what he did, reenlisting again and […]

Flight 64 flew on September 6, 2025  Clement Couture, US Army Reserve 1962-1966 and 1974-1980 Vietnam After basic training, Clem was assigned to the Headquarters Company as a Mechanics Assistant in the motor pool. His job included transporting troops and supplies for training. Before long, he was promoted to dispatcher, sending others into the field. One […]

U.S. Oval, Plattsburgh, NY – September 6, 2025 – North Country Honor Flights 64 and 65 are in the air. As of this evening, the Honor Flight will have transported 980 veterans to and from our nation’s capital, where they visit the memorials honoring their service. Thirty vets are on today’s flights. As usual, there […]

Plattsburgh, Saturday, July 12 – The Sunrise Rotary Mayor’s Cup Regatta & Festival Committee has named the North Country Honor Flight as its 2025 Spirit of Ianelli Award honoree. Sunrise Rotary Club President Wanda Carroll presented the award to Barrie Finnegan, Executive Director of the North Country Honor Flight, along with other members of the […]

Joseph Ambrosio – US Air Force 1976-1982 – Vietnam  Enlisting at the age of 22, Joseph began his journey at Lackland Air Force Base for basic training—eight tough weeks that started with a stern “Get in the jeep and shut up” from the sergeant holding a sign with his name.  After tech school on the […]

Thankfully, the heavier rain held off until the North County Honor Flight send-off ceremony concluded. VIDEO of Flights 62 and 63 being escorted to the flightline follows.

Steven “Steve” Bacon – US Air Force 1972-1999 Vietnam, Cold War One year out of high school, and after numerous jobs, Steve was looking for career stability.  He would enter the Burlington recruiter’s office, seeking a unique experience away from being a farm kid from Vermont.  The Army recruiter wasn’t there that day, so Steve would […]

Peru, NY, May 17, 2025 – Three cheers to these members of the Peru Volunteer Fire Department who traveled to Plattsburgh early this morning to honor the veterans traveling on the North Country Honor Flight.

Click here for the Mountain Lake Story 

Peru CSD will conduct Earth Day celebration workshops involving sixteen (16) environmental education organizations and student presenters from April 15th to April 17th, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. This is a three-day event to celebrate Earth Day and bring greater awareness of environmental issues to our students, staff, and community. There will be stations […]

By John T Ryan Peru, NY—On October 27, many veterans, family members, and friends gathered to witness Danny Kaifetz present James “Jimmy” Devan with an American Heroes Foundation Flagpole. Some people who read the Peru Gazette’s flag presentation story must have wondered what Jimmy Devan’s life has been like since returning home from Vietnam. In […]

(All photos by David Brown) Thomas Batterson, U.S. Air Force, 1968-1991 – Vietnam Tom received a draft notice. Looking to get out of English class, Tom took the Air Force qualifying exam, passed, and enlisted. After basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Tom became an Air Crew Life Support.  Tom ensured the survival of […]

Message from North County Honor Flight – This Saturday, October 5, will be the final North Country Honor Flight of the 2024 flying season. Flights 58 and 59 will have 3 Korean War Veterans and many Vietnam Veterans among the 30 Veterans being honored. “Thunder in the Burgh” will take place once again thanks to […]

Plattsburgh, NY, U.S. Oval, Veterans Park, August 31, 2024 – Honor Flight Operations Director Janet Duprey introduced each veteran to the many well-wishers at 7 a.m. Send-Off Ceremony Oril Bashaw, U.S. Army, 1967-1997 – Vietnam Oril had recruiter training at Fort Benjamin Harris and was one of the first Army Reserve Recruiters assigned to the Albany […]

Plattsburgh, NY, U.S. Oval, Veterans Park, August 31, 2024 – Honor Flight Operations Director Janet Duprey introduced each veteran to the many well-wishers at the 7 a.m. Send-Off Ceremony Thomas Allen, U.S. Navy, 1963-1967  – Vietnam Tom enlisted and had basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station.  Sent to Maryland, Tom trained as a Communication […]

Plattsburgh, NY, August 31, 2024 – The North Country Honor Flight flew 30 more veterans to the Washington D.C. Memorials today on Flights 56 and 57. Over the past several years, the flights have taken 860 veterans to our National Capital. The Peru Gazette will post biographies and photos of each vet as soon as […]

On Saturday, August 31, the North Country Honor Flight plans to honor 30 more Veterans by sending them on an all-expense-paid trip to the Washington D.C. Memorials. Almost all of these Veterans are from the Vietnam War. We hope to send them on a journey to heal the wounds received during a turbulent time in […]

Peter Keenan, Sr. Obituary Peter Francis Keenan, Sr., 94, of Pleasant Street, Peru, died Monday, July 22, 2024, at his home. He was born in Peru on March 18, 1930, the son of Joseph Geraldine (Ryan) Keenan. At Peter’s request, there will be no public calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated […]

Every North Country Honor Fight carries veterans with different military backgrounds. Flight #55 included a medic, infantrymen, supply, maintenance, communication, and electronics specialists, forward artillery observers, a helicopter mechanic, a cook, a fighter pilot with 22 kills, and the Distinguished Flying Cross, a jet engine mechanic. Some suffered wounds and sicknesses, the effects which remain […]

June 22, 2024, U.S. Oval, Plattsburgh – Here are the vets and guardians who flew today on North Country Honor Flights #54 and #55. The photos were taken as Janet Duprey read their military biographies. The Peru Gazette hopes to post individual photos of each veteran and their military biographies late Monday or Tuesday.  

June 22, 2024 – U.S. Oval, Plattsburgh, NY. – The show went on; it was probably one of the best ever. Heavy rain at 7 a.m. today didn’t deter “Thunder in the Burg” motorcycles, law enforcement and a huge crowd of well-wishers from attending the North Country Honor Flight Send-Off Ceremony. Flights #54 and #55 […]