LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It was heroes welcome at Muhammad Ali International Airport on Sept. 5.
Honor Flight: Bluegrass successfully completed another mission to Washington D.C. arriving back home to Louisville. Honor Flight is an organization that takes veterans on a one-day free trip to visit the war memorials built in their honor in the nation’s capital. Family, friends and well-wishers filled Ali International Airport for the last leg of their journey, the welcome home celebration.
“He just made his 91st birthday and on Aug. 13 and we knew this was coming up on Sept. 5,” Roslyn Mohler told Spectrum News 1 as she waited for her father and Korean War veteran Gerald Roberts.
“He was extremely ecstatic. He could not wait…He’s very proud to be a veteran and talks very highly of the United States Air Force,” Hohler added.
Eighty-one veterans were on this latest trip, which left Louisville around 6:00 a.m. Sept. 5. As they arrived at the nation’s capital, they were cheered on in the terminal before boarding charter buses that would take them to the war memorials spread out across the city. Veterans visited the WWII, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial Wall and Arlington National Cemetery to witness the changing of the guard.
“My son served in the Marines. My dad served in the Army. My papaw served in World War 1. He got a Purple Heart. I got an uncle, Stanley Jackson, that served in the Army,” Robin Jackson told Spectrum News 1.
“Oh, my gosh. Like, Honor Flight!? You should be here,” Jackson said.
Five WWII veterans were on the trip.