'An honor': First steps made toward 29th Annual Central Valley Honor Flight

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - The countdown is underway for a travel similar nary different arsenic steps toward the 29th Central Valley Honor Flight person begun.

Saturday marked the kickoff for the unforgettable acquisition for those veterans and guardians acceptable to instrumentality flight.

This mightiness beryllium conscionable a warmup for those acceptable to instrumentality the travel of a lifetime, but it is simply a time they surely volition not forget.

"Today is the process wherever you get what we telephone the swag to each our veterans connected travel 29 of grant flight. And this is wherever the veterans and guardians besides sometimes for the archetypal clip meet. And they'll get each the covering that you're going to beryllium utilizing successful Washington, D.C. We alert successful astir 3 weeks," Vietnam Veteran and Central Valley Honor Flight Volunteer Bill Goodreau said.

Goodreau says each of these veterans and their guardians oregon traveling companions— galore of which are friends oregon family, volition beryllium taking disconnected from Fresno connected Sept. 16th connected a non-stop formation to Baltimore.

"We'll springiness them a large barbecue meal that evening, Monday evening. Then Tuesday greeting we're up moving early. I archer them not to look astatine your California ticker clip due to the fact that we aftermath 'em up 5:30 successful the greeting connected the East Coast... it's 2:30 California time!" said Goodreau.

Goodreau, who has been connected the travel six oregon 7 times present says they volition spot memorials from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, arsenic good arsenic memorials for each subdivision of the equipped forces— and of course, Arlington National Cemetery including the tomb of the chartless soldier.

All that and much earlier returning location to Fresno to a well-deserved hero's welcome— an earned circular of applause immoderate ne'er got.

"The mode I was treated, what they said to me, was beauteous atrocious and that'll enactment with maine for the remainder of my life. I'm conscionable grateful that this is being done. To me, it's an honor," said Vietnam Veteran Tony Gonzales.