LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — More than 60 veterans from across Kentucky flew back to the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington Saturday evening after spending time in Washington, D.C.
It was a welcome home party for more than 60 Kentucky veterans who have served either in the Korean War, World War II, and the Vietnam War as they arrived back in Lexington from Washington, D.C.
"I try to be here every time I can to see the veterans come home," said Susan Craddock, a Vietnam veteran and a part of the female honor flight.
The annual Honor Flight Kentucky is a celebration of heroes from across the Bluegrass, allowing these veterans to witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and four memorials for veterans in D.C.
“I just feel so proud of him and I’m just so glad that he got this opportunity to go and see things in DC," said one of the veteran's granddaughters.
“I have been learning a lot about United States history this past year in my classes. I just realized how grateful I am for my grandfathers service. He is so cool and so strong, and the stories he tells really inspires me," explains another one of the veteran's granddaughters. "So it’s really cool to celebrate him when he didn’t get that at first.”
“I’m a Vietnam veteran so I was on one of these flights and I know what it means to them to be on this flight. And I know what it means to be- to walk off this flight to the gauntlet there. They don’t know that's there," explains David White, a Vietnam veteran who has been a part of the honor flight in the past.
One of the veterans who returned is Vietnam veteran Walter Litrell, who was wounded in action in 1969. “Shocked me because there was- I wasn’t expecting as many people as had shown up and it put more faith in me because when we come back to oversees we were treated pretty nasty. And these people just restored my faith in it all.”
Lirtrell says younger generations should take an example from older ones. He believes it would help build more respect for the military. “For me, I was a young man and I loved my country and I would have done anything for them."
“It’s not about us. It’s about everybody that’s here because everyone here will carry on the history. We will be gone, we want to make sure they understand what this is all about," says John Babcock who attended the celebration.
