Honor Flight

Last Monday I flew home from Utah where I had been for 11 days. Glenn and I baby sat Heather's two babies while she and her husband went on a much needed cruise. Glenn drove home on Saturday so that he could be in ML on Sunday to do his calling (it was a $214 talk)! While I was waiting to board my plane at gate 22, several veterans came off the plane at gate 21. It was a very emotional sight, still get all choked up. They went straight to gate 22 and were allowed to get on the plane first! I called Glenn and told him that he was going to be completely jealous! I was about 4th from the last to get on the plane. There was a seat in the front next to this 96 year old man, I decided to step out of my comfort zone (thank you Jane) and sit by him.

A crowd of friends and other people were waiting to welcome them at the airport, complete with a brass band and flags waving. I was first off the plane because they had the veterans get off last. It was amazing to walk through that reception crown and feel the honor that they were waiting to give these veterans. It took a while, but I remembered that I could take pictures with my camera! Wish I had a picture from the front of this crowd. I called Glenn and told him that he would want to come in the airport to see this reception. We decided that it would be worth getting a ticket at the baggage claim parking for him to leave the car and come it!

More pictures of the crown, we couldn't see the
veterans when they come down because the crowd was so thick.

However, we were able to mingle with them.
I stopped and thanked this gentleman, he was so sweet,
he insisted on a hug, and I insisted on a picture!

It was so touching to see them finding their families.
The were overcome with this whole experience.

How can you see this and not get misty eyed?

These are my guys! Shorty and Glenn. Glenn went around and visited with as many men as he could. Asking where they served. Shorty was on the beach at Normandy and ended up in Poland. He was able to save an entire class room of young Nazi boys who were about to get blasted by an American tanker. That is the thing that he is the proudest of. Let me tell you, he was a tough 96 year old. He had to temper his language while we were talking on the plane. It was a joy for me to hear his war stories. He liked me to, he wanted to take me home. I told him that I was already in a committed relationship. He told my husband that he wanted to take me home! But we held out.

The name of this program is HONOR FLIGHT. If you know a veteran who has not been back to Washington DC to see the World War II memorial, you can Google Honor Flight and it will take you to the web page and you can make an application for him or her to take this flight. It is inspiring. My guy "Shorty" said that this was the first time since he got home from the war that anyone had done anything to honor him. I encourage all of us to make sure that we thank our service men for the things the sacrifice to serve us.