WASHINGTON — What a day for nine of our local World War II, Korean and Vietnam veterans.
Honor Flight Bluegrass took them to Washington, D.C., to see the monuments and memorials built in their honor. It’s been a journey to get here too — one that started in June with the B-25 Barnstorming Tour and has now ended in our nation’s capital.
The celebration of our veterans is not over yet. They have a special treat happening Wednesday at the airport before they head back to Louisville for an unforgettable welcome home ceremony.
They deserve it for serving and sacrificing for their country, but also for the long day they had.
One of their first stops was to the World War II Memorial, where they were met with cheers of thanks for their service. It was an hour there, and then they headed over to the Korean War Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Many of the volunteers accompanying veterans on the trip are veterans themselves.
We told you about Rodney Baker Tuesday night. He’s a Vietnam veteran who saw the wall Wednesday. It’s a wall with names he knows, but doesn’t remember.
“It’s better not to be able to remember the name, because you find it on here, and you realize Robert Davis is not just a name on a wall,” he said.
“He’s a life,” Local 6 photojournalist Mason Watkins said. “He had brothers and sisters and parents,”
“Right. It’s somebody’s son who sacrificed themselves,” Baker said. “I mean, he didn’t run off to Canada, he didn’t do any other thing. He may have been drafted and not been there by his own choice. But, he paid a price so many have paid through all the different — I guess you’d call Vietnam a conflict, but also there was wars. And they couldn’t build a wall big enough to contain them all.”
Reflection, tears, but also joy and patriotism — so many emotions were felt by the veterans at these memorials and other stops along the way.
To see more of our coverage of the honor flight, visit the Service & Sacrifice page.
