More than 80 Ohio-based senior veterans recently participated in the 114th flight of Honor Flight Columbus, a central Ohio-based nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring America’s veterans from WWII through the Vietnam War, with a trip to Washington D.C. to visit their respective service and war memorials.

The one-day trips are free for any qualified veteran.

The recent trip, referred to as “Mission 114,” included 86 senior veterans, four of whom were WWII vets.

It departed John Glenn Airport with a private, chartered flight decorated in full red, white and blue. Current servicemen and women, bagpipes and several hundred spectators greeted the veterans at Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport the veterans.

Upon departing Reagan, the veterans visited their respective war and service memorials, a first for many on the flight. The trip also included a flag presentation for the WWII servicemen and a commemorative pinning for the Vietnam Veterans during their visit to the Vietnam Wall and Memorial. 

Upon their late-night arrival back to Columbus, thousands of family members, friends and community members, along with a full bagpipe band, music and more, greeted the veterans.

For many of the veterans, the emotional, celebratory return to Columbus was the “hero’s homecoming” they had never experienced before.