Most of the veterans were accompanied by family members.

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight of Springfield will fly with 80 veterans of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars to Washington, D.C., on May 17. “We hope our efforts will educate them and make it clear why these veterans deserve our thanks”.

Airports are often the scene of teary sendoffs as loved ones say goodbye, but one recent morning at Ronald Reagan Washington-National Airport a plane full of Arkansas and Oklahoma veterans were moved by their welcome to Washington, D.C. In honor of that day, the Honor Flight chapter in Alaska reserved a few seats for Vietnam veterans in the Interior.

Sandwiched between World War II and the Vietnam War, the Korean War often is viewed as America’s “forgotten war”.

But Hendersonville resident Jeff Miller, the founder of the Honor Air program, now called Blue Ridge Honor Flight, aims to do what he can to change that. He noted that while guardians’ airfare usually contributes $20,000 each flight, the group is paying almost $50,000 for each trip.

Honor Flight of West Central Florida celebrated its 25th mission to our nation’s capital by taking close to 70 World War II veterans to see monuments and memorials dedicated in their honor.

For Bobrowski, visiting the Korean War Veterans memorial was a hard experience. “When they come home, that’s as important a piece of this as anything”. Many of them met for the first time Sunday.

The Honor Flight is an experience these veterans will always remember. In the spring of 2011, the last Western North Carolina HonorAir flight returned home to Asheville Regional Airport. He added that donations from individual fundraisers, such as the upcoming Honor Flight fundraiser at Enon’s Brandeberry Winery later this month, also help the group significantly.