LIVERMORE, Ky. - Kentucky veterans are preparing for a mission of a lifetime.

Honor Flight: Bluegrass is taking World War II, Korea War and Vietnam War veterans to the war memorials built in their honor in Washington D.C. The volunteer organization makes these trips possible at no charge to the veterans. 

“Some of these guys.. have never been out of their state except for when they went to Vietnam or when they served. And maybe the last 20, 30, 40 years they just worked and did their thing and maybe went on vacation but to be honored late in life is going to be life changing for a lot of them," Don Benton tells Spectrum News 1.

Benton is a Vietnam veteran originally from northwestern Indiana but about ten years ago moved to Livermore, about 25 minutes south of Owensboro.

“I’m just amazed after 50 years somebody would even want to say thank you.. that means something to me," Benton says. the combat clerk recalls Thanksgiving Day 1970. "We came in with that chopper and we were spiraling down and at the last minute he pulls up and slides on the skids and we got out and there was all kinds of weapons fire." That was 49 years ago and now Benton is a Chaplain at his local VFW.

On October 16, Foster and 130 other veterans will once again take to the sky for a jammed packed, single-day trip to Washington D.C. Fundraising for Honor Flight" Bluegrass happens almost around-the-clock and the public is encouraged to be a part of the welcome home ceremony at Muhammad Ali International Airport at 9:30 PM.

You can help a veteran participate in a future trip by clicking this link.