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WASHINGTON, D.C., (KSEE/KGPE) – Monday marked the archetypal time of the 32nd travel bringing veterans from astir the portion connected the travel of a beingness to our nation’s capitol.
On this trip, 73 veterans — 68 men and 5 women — each with antithetic stories and experiences, came unneurotic to stock emotion for our country.
"Central Valley Honor Flight is our accidental to amusement them that we get it. That their sacrifice is not forgotten, that it hasn’t gone unnoticed, and that it truly means something," said Paul Loeffler, co-founder and committee president for Central Valley Honor Flight.
The formation invites veterans — this clip ages 68 to 93 — serving successful wars from Korea, the Cold War, Vietnam, and adjacent immoderate successful the Middle East.
“I saw the Vietnam Memorial erstwhile it was connected tour, erstwhile it came to antithetic cities, but I person not seen the 1 there. So, I’m looking guardant to that," said Don Sisk, a Navy Veteran who served successful the Vietnam War.
Sisk, a Porterville native, says helium hasn’t been to Washington, D.C. since the mid-1970s, aft helium and his woman got married. This time, he’s excited to spot the Vietnam War Memorial — not lone for himself, but for his cousin, who can’t marque the trip.
“He was successful the Army and went to Vietnam, and helium was wounded beauteous atrocious a fewer times. He mislaid immoderate buddies that helium joined with, and I conjecture their names are connected the monument," helium said. “He’s not successful the champion of wellness close present himself. So, we’re going to look it up, etch it, oregon immoderate we tin do, and bring it backmost to him.”
He’ll beryllium getting that opportunity, arsenic this radical heads disconnected connected the first-class circuit they merit — from monuments and memorials to the U.S. Capitol building, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
It couldn't hap without the eventual sendoff Monday greeting — implicit with a show of the nationalist anthem, a prayer, and appreciation from loved ones, chap veterans, and the community.
After a small mid-flight camaraderie, the level touched down successful Baltimore to aggregate precise peculiar welcomes — from a "thank you" and handshake from the BWI Town Crier, a fresh, agelong lipstick-covered buss connected the feature from Honor Flight volunteers, and a delicious barbecue feast. They were heartwarming gestures that immoderate of these brave men and women ne'er got erstwhile they returned location from serving their country.
“It’s antithetic from erstwhile we came location from Vietnam. It’s a batch different," said Joe Ventura, a Marine veteran. “It didn’t substance to a batch of folks. This 1 present gives america the accidental to spot that we’re inactive together, we’re inactive coming home, and we’re being appreciated now," helium said.
Day 2 of the 32nd Central Valley Honor Flight continues Tuesday, arsenic veterans caput to a multitude of memorials and adjacent sojourn the U.S. Capitol. You tin ticker unrecorded reports connected our KSEE24/CBS47+ app from 6:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.
