SAN ANTONIO – Retired veterans who served in separate wars across generations are on what they call a “trip of a lifetime”.
Several veterans who fought in the Korean, Vietnam and World War II are spending the weekend in Washington D.C. thanks to the Honor Flight Program.
Among the places they will visit, the group will tour the Arlington National Cemetery and military museums, to name a few.
Despite the excitement, Vietnam veteran Mario Ramirez said the trip will also be somber, as six of his friends died in the war. He plans to look for their names on the Vietnam War Memorial wall.
“It’s sad, because we weren’t together through a lot in Vietnam and we did the firefights and all that. And my sergeant, had only 30 days left and he got killed. And the other ones also got killed, as we were in the firefights,” Ramirez said.
A World War II veteran said the last time he visited the National Mall was when he came back to the states after fighting overseas, back in 1946.
“My shipmate and I ran up and down the mall in our bare feet in the grass. And I’m just looking forward to seeing that grass and running through it again. I don’t know if I’ll do it barefoot,” veteran Charles Berry said.
The organizers of the Honor Flight program said these veterans are living history, and they deserve to see how they are honored at the Capitol.