SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Honor Flight Syracuse, an organization that takes military veterans to Washington D.C. free of charge to visit the nation’s war monuments, took 82 local veterans to the nation’s capital on Saturday morning, Sept. 30, on its Mission 19 flight.
After the veterans were taken on a charter bus tour of the monuments honoring their service, they returned to Syracuse around 6:40 p.m. on Saturday.
During their day in Washington D.C., the veterans got to see the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam War Memorial.
64 of the veterans on this trip served in the Vietnam War. Their Honor Flight comes 50 years after the last U.S. combat troops left Vietnam.
“Nothing is more important than showing our deep appreciation for the service and sacrifice of the veterans we serve throughout Central New York,” said Kevin Bradley, president of Honor Flight Syracuse. ““We are so honored and thankful for all of our volunteers, sponsors and contributors for making Mission 19 possible, and for helping us continue our mission of flying veterans to Washington, DC to receive the honor and recognition that they so rightfully deserve.”
