The final edition of the four-part special Veteran's Voices features participants on an Honor Flight from Columbus to Washington, D.C. They reflect on the lessons and sacrifices they experienced as volunteers and draftees representing the United States. For each veteran, their time in the service left an indelible mark.

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 DC to visit their respective service and war memorials. These one-day trips are free of charge to any qualified veteran.

The recent trip, referred to as “Mission 114,” included 86 senior veterans, four of whom were WWII vets, departed John Glenn Airport with a private, chartered flight decorated in full red, white and blue. The veterans were greeted at Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport by current servicemen and women, bagpipes and several hundred spectators. 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 as well as a commemorative pinning for the Vietnam Veterans during their visit to the Vietnam Wall and Memorial. 

Upon their late-night arrival back to Columbus, the veterans were greeted by thousands of family members, friends and community members — along with a full bagpipe band, music and more.  For many of these veterans, the emotional, celebratory return to Columbus was the “hero's homecoming” they had never experienced before.