SAN ANTONIO – Honor Flight San Antonio took 20 veteran men and women to see military memorials built in honor of their service.
“They are the only ones who understand what you’ve been through,” Jesse Davalos, a US Army Afghanistan veteran said.
For Davalos, the trip to visit the memorials will be an emotional one, especially alongside his veteran brothers and sisters.
“Nobody else really cares, nobody else really knows and you can’t beat this bunch of guys,” Davalos said.
The memories made on the trip to Washington D.C. are thanks to the nonprofit Honor Flight San Antonio, a trip that flies veterans to see memorials built for their service. This will be the 18th flight for the nonprofit, and for Friday’s trip the veterans have more than 20 years of distinguished service and substantial military decorations from 1953 to 2003.
Twins Darlene Wallace and Irene Battle joined the US Air Force together and are now seeing the memorials with each other. They say they are grateful for all the love and support of San Antonio.
“We both really appreciate and love the community in San Antonio and the recognition of the military, as it is Military City USA,” Battle said.
US Air Force and Vietnam veteran Steve Monotte said the welcome and appreciation he has gotten at the airport is overwhelming, because it was a different story compared to when he came back from Vietnam.
“Fellow Vietnam veterans didn’t get that when we came home, it was almost take off your uniform don’t go through the airport in your uniform so we kind of snuck around,” Monotte said. “Now I can’t go by someone without them thanking me for my service.”
The group will visit several memorials Friday through Sunday. The group will fly back on Sunday and will be received with a water cannon salute when they touch down.
If you want to follow their trip you can do so on the Facebook page, Honor Flight San Antonio.