Of all the experiences veterans get to share on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., meeting a former president probably isn’t one they’re anticipating.
That’s because it’s never happened before. Until this Veterans Day. President Barack Obama surprised a plane full of veterans traveling from Madison, Wisconsin, to D.C. for a visit to honor Veterans Day. Obama posted the encounter on his X account.
A Suprise
No past or current president had greeted Honor Flight participants in the nonprofit organization’s 20-year history of taking veterans to D.C. to see the monuments.
“Ahead of Veterans Day, I was honored to welcome a flight of veterans and their families as they arrived in DC,” Obama posted on X. “To all those who bravely served our country, thank you to you and your family for your extraordinary service. The sacrifices that all of you have made to protect our country will be honored, today and every day.”
Mary Quigley, a retired Navy captain, was impressed that Obama took time to meet the veterans.
“That’s absolutely amazing,” Quigley said. “A commander in chief, a leader, that’s going to show up and tell you that your service was worth something. I think that’s the important part. I think it was a great thing that happened.”
The 87 veterans aboard the flight were former Korean War and Vietnam War soldiers. Many of them were a bit shocked, including one whose mouth fell open, and eyes grew wide upon seeing the former commander-in-chief pop his head into the plane’s entryway.
Sharing a Message
After taking to the intercom, Obama shared a heartfelt message to veterans aboard the flight.
“Hello, everybody. As we approach Veterans Day, I wanted to stop by and just say thank you for your extraordinary service,” Obama said. “To you, your family, the sacrifices that all of you made to protect our country are something that will always be honored, and we are very grateful.”
Upon landing in the nation’s capital, the veterans were greeted with warm, pleasant weather, and Obama joked that 70-degree days don’t always happen in D.C. in November.
As veterans departed the plane, Obama shook hands with them and thanked them for their service. One veteran told the president, “The last time I got to see a president it was Gerald Ford.”
“How about that,” Obama said, beaming.
Obama also presented each veteran with a Presidential Challenge Coin, saying later he was grateful to give those who served a “personal token of my gratitude.” The tradition of designing a coin for veterans began with President Bill Clinton.
Besides Obama’s visit, many volunteers gathered at Reagan National Airport in D.C. to pay their respects. For Air Force veteran James Nelson, the welcome was emotionally uplifting.
“It was the joy of my heart,” Nelson said. “It’s good. We still got patriotic people in our country, and that’s good.”
Quigley said the trips are also an opportunity to treat veterans with dignity, especially Vietnam veterans who didn’t receive praise after coming home from war.
“Back then, when you got off the plane there, you had no welcome,” Army veteran Greg Adkins said. “So, it means a lot.”
Quigley said a simple “thank you” to a veteran goes a long way.
“Every city in this country has got veterans in it, I guarantee it. Go up and say thank you, and just tell them how much you appreciate them,” Quigley said in a video posted on the Honor Flight Network.
20 Years and Atill Honoring Veterans
Since the program began in 2005, the Honor Flight has transported more than 317,000 veterans to D.C., giving them an experience they will likely never forget. The service was established to honor World War II veterans but, with not many WWII veterans remaining, Honor Flights have shifted to providing trips for Korean War and Vietnam era soldiers.
Across the country, the Honor Flight organization uses 128 airports in 46 states.
“Participation in an Honor Flight trip gives veterans the opportunity to share this momentous occasion with other comrades, remember the fallen, and share their stories and experiences with other veterans. Honored veterans always travel free of charge, thanks to generous donations to our organization,” their website reads.
While this Honor Flight experience was sure to leave an impression on these 87 veterans, it appeared to be a special day for the former president as well.
