They ate hardly and then were given important mementos. Afterwards they were transported to the next phase of the day. These special men and women, were loaded onto a decorated plane and whisk away for the day.
They landed at D.C. and off loaded from the plane with fanfare of music, hugs and kisses the ladies. They then were loaded on to tour buses and taken directly to the WWII Memorial. This trip was the last full load of World War II veterans to go on an Honor Flight from this region. This was their day and their Memorial Site. They were given a good amount of time here before being reloaded unto the buses and taken to see the other Veteran memorial sites. (There were a few Korean and a couple of terminally ill Vietnam vets on this same flight.)
They spent time at Arlington and The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where a wreath was laid by the veterans from this region of the country.
The day was a whirlwind of things to see and emotions to be experienced. These special people were cared for in a very special way: concern was given to their age and frailty, meals provided, and police escorts for all the bus rides in D.C. On the return trip home letters were given out from esteemed senators and from young school kids- who really cannot fully understand this generation of older people and the experiences in their lives but in their young way tried.
As Hubby was listening to the radio this afternoon he heard phone calls from those that were on the receiving end back at the home airport. His ears perked up when he heard the following quote, "Man, you all do not know when to stop giving..." Those were Dad's words. An old man in a wheelchair touched by the kindness of those he did not know and who thought enough of him as a stranger, to come out in the late hours of the evening to make him feel special.
Each veteran is assigned a guardian. Hubby paid to be Dad's special guardian we felt this would be the least stressful way for Dad to go, knowing that his familiar family member was with him.