AGING VETERANS FROM THE
TWIN CITIES MADE A SPECIAL TRIP
TO OUR NATION'S CAPITOL TO SEE
WAR MEMORIALS BUILT IN THEIR
HONOR.
THE ONE-DAY JOURNEY THROUGH
HONOR FLIGHT IS OFFERED AT NO
COST TO THE VETERANS.
THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WAS
FORMED AFTER THE WORLD WAR II
MEMORIAL WAS COMPLETED IN 2004.
THE PURPOSE IS TO MAKE SURE
SURVIVING VETERANS HAVE THE
CHANCE TO GET THERE AND SEE THE
MEMORIAL.
IT'S JUST A SMALL WAY TO SAY
THANK YOU TO THE GREATEST
GENERATION FOR THEIR SERVICE
AND SACRIFICE.
WCCO TRAVELED WITH HONOR FLIGHT
TWIN CITIES AND SOME LOCAL
VETERANS.
GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN.
WELCOME OUR VETS THIS MORNING.
Reporter: IT'S A JOURNEY
BACK MANY OF THESE WAR VETERANS
NEVER ENVISIONED TAKING.
I HAVEN'T BEEN TO D.C. IN 56
YEARS SO I WILL THRILLED.
CAN YOU SIT THERE?
SURE.
Reporter: A FLIGHT FULL OF
QUIET HEROS WHO SERVED OUR
COUNTRY IN WORLD WAR II OR THE
KOREAN WAR.
WE ARE GETTING FEWER MEN.
MAIL CALL, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN.
Reporter: EACH SEAT SECURED
FOR SOMEONE WHO SHOULD FEEL THE
DEPTH OF OUR NATION'S
GRATITUDE.
LOOK AT THAT.
Reporter: VETERANS RECEIVE
NOTES FROM STUDENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
IN THE WORLD WARS.
Reporter: AND FAMILY,
HOME.
THE FIRST LETTER I EVER GOT
FROM HER.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL
GENERATION COMING UP.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU.
Reporter: BUT IT'S THIS
GENERATION, THE GREATEST
GENERATION THAT EARNED ALL THE
FANFARE AND APPRECIATION
DESTOWED UPON THEM.
ONCE -- BESTOWED UPON THEM.
ONCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THE
BUSS ARE BOARDED TO THE TAKE
THE VETERANS TO MEMORIALS TO
REFLECT ON SERVICE AND
SACRIFICE.
FOR MANY, IT'S THE ONLY WAY
THEY WOULD GET HERE AND IT
COMES AT NO COST TO THEM.
I THINK IT WENT UP ABOUT THE
FOURTH DAY OF FIGHTING.
Reporter: THE MARINE CORP
MEMORIAL DEPICTING THE ICONIC
ICONIC FLAG --
I WATCHED IT GO UP.
Reporter: THE WORDS ETCHED
IN GRANT IT IN DREW HIM IN.
I THINK OF THE YOUNG KIDS
THAT NEVER MADE IT.
[ "TAPS PROSECUTE.
]
THAT'S THE PART THAT BREAKS
ME.
Reporter: IT HONORS THE 16
MILLION WHO SERVED IN SUPPORT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
AT FIRST, I DIDN'T WANT TO
TAKE ME.
I WAS TOO SMALL.
ON THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, I
WAS THERE.
Reporter: HIS MEMORYIES ARE
VIVID.
YOU WILL SEE YOUR FRIENDS,
JUST FALL AND DIED.
AND YOU KEPT ON GOING.
YOU'RE OUR HERO.
NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE
HERE.
NEVER.
Reporter: EACH VETERAN IS
ACCOMPANY BID A GUARDIAN DURING
THEIR TOUR OF HONOR.
I'M GLAD I GOT TO BE HERE
WITH YOU.
I'M GLAD TOO.
Reporter: HE SHARED THE
EXPERIENCE WITH HIS SON.
IT BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF
GOOD MEMORIES AND BAD MEMORIES.
I WILL HAPPY TO BE HERE.
Reporter: 4,028 STARS
REPRESENT THE PRICE MORE THAN
400,000 AMERICANS PAYED TO WIN
THE WAR.
[ "TAPS" ]
Reporter: LAST YEAR AS MOST
OF THE WORLD WAR II VETERANS
MADE THEIR WAY OFF THE WAITING
LIST, HONOR FLIGHT TWIN CITIES
ADDED KOREAN WAR VETERANS TO
THE TRIP.
I'M 48 YEARS OLD.
I WOULDN'T GET HERE ON MY OWN.
Reporter: HE SERVE ADD LONG
SIDE HIS TWIN --
THERE WE WERE.
Reporter: AND OLDER BROTHER.
TOO REAL.
THIS PORTRAYAL OF THE TROOP IS
SO REALISTIC.
I THROW BOTH LEGS ALL THE WAY
UP TO MY KNEES.
THANKFUL TO BE HERE.
THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE AND
TALKING.
Reporter: HE WAS INJURED IN
THE RESERVOIR, A DECISIVE
BATTLE DURING THE KOREAN WAR.
MY SACRIFICE IS MINIMAL
COMPARED TO MOST OF MY FRIENDS.
Reporter: THE THIS IS A
PLACE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE
WHOSE COMMITMENT AND
ACHIEVEMENT ALLOWED AAN ENTIRE
NATION TO LIVE FREELY.
-- ALLOWED AN ENTIRE NATION TO
LIVE FREELY.
IT'S FELT INTENSELY AT
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
WHERE HEROES FIND THEIR FINAL
RESTING PLACE.
ATOP THE HILL, THE TOMB OF THE
UNKNOWN SOLDIER IS GUARDED 24
HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR,
DEDICATED TO SERVICE MEMBERS
WHO DIED WITHOUT THEIR REMAINS
BEING IDENTIFIED.
VETERANS WATCH THE CHANGING OF
THE GUARD, A SACRED AND
METICULOUS RITUAL CONDUCTED
EACH HOUR.
EACH STEP INSTILLS PRIDE.
[ BAG PIPES ]
Reporter: AND AT THE END OF
THE DAY --
WELCOME HOME!
THE RECEPTION WAS REALLY
BREATHTAKING.
Reporter: THAT SACRIFICE WAS
RECOGNIZED AND REVERED --
WELCOME HOME.
Reporter: BY FRIENDS AND
FAMILY.
SO PROUD OF YOU, DAD.
VERY HEART FILLING.
Reporter: WCCO 4 NEWS.
BOY, THAT'S SPECIAL.
YEAH, IT IS.
YEAH.
THE NEXT TWIN CITIES HONOR
FLIGHT IS GOING TO BE IN THE
SPRING.
AND THERE IS A WAITING LIST
RIGHT NOW.
GO TO WCCO.COM AND LEARN
MORE ABOUT THE NON-PROFIT, HOW
TO BECOME A GUARDIAN AND WAYS