SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Ninety veterans living in the San Diego area took off on a journey of a lifetime Friday morning. Honor Flight San Diego is heading to Washington, D.C., to give those veterans a chance to see the memorials dedicated to them and their fellow servicemembers.
ABC 10News was at the San Diego International Airport to welcome the veterans and hear their stories.
It was a roller coaster of emotions, with lots of smiles and some tears, as the journey started.
From the moment they got to the airport, crowds of people, including airport employees and San Diego firefighters, welcomed the Honor Flight group. You could see the joy on the veterans' faces as they made their way to the check in area.
SDFD Captain Ben Vernon says it was an amazing experience meeting those heroes.
"Just hearing some of their stories in such a short walk -- some of the stories we've heard are just absolutely amazing," Vernon says.
Once the veterans were inside, they were treated to a breakfast and had the opportunity to connect with one another.
Ed Seffens, who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, spoke with 10News the day before the trip.
"I don't get the chance to be with other veterans a lot," Seffens says. "It's going to be fun — like I say, tell lies back and forth, who won the war and everything."
When the veterans got through security, there were even more surprises waiting for them. More passengers and crew members waved American flags, and the gate was decked out in red, white and blue.
"I'm a little emotional," one of the veterans said.
"This is exciting — I've been looking forward to this for a long time. So, it's coming true," another member of the Honor Flight group said.
Of the 90 veterans traveling, two of them are women. Myrt Wells, a former Navy Lieutenant in the Nurse Corps, is the first of three generations of female Naval officers.
Wells' daughter, who is her guardian for the Honor Flight, served, and her granddaughter did as well.
Jean Wright, a retired Lieutenant Colonel and former member of the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps, says she's been packed for a month in anticipation of this journey.
She says it means so much for her and her fellow veterans who served in Korea and Vietnam to get the appreciation and recognition that didn't come back then.
"When I retired in '76, there was no respect, no honor given... So this... Is very heartfelt," Wright says.
If you would like to show your appreciation to these veterans, you can join the group of hundreds expected to gather in the baggage claim area at the airport on Sunday to welcome the Honor Flight group home.
The plane is expected to land around 1 p.m. Sunday. Honor Flight San Diego recommends carpooling or ridesharing and arriving there by about noon. There's free parking available at the Port of San Diego lots, and buses will take people back and forth.
