Honor Flight Houston takes off for Washington D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (FOX 26) - Early Friday morning the folks with Honor Flight Houston met World War II and Korean War veterans at Hobby Airport to get ready to send them off the Washington D.C. for a two day adventure.

"I think it's the very least that we can do as a country to remember and honor the ones that are fallen and the ones that are still here with us luckily," says Paul Ralph who's father in-law is going on the trip.

Paulette Ralph was a volunteer for the trip, or what the crew calls a guardian. She brought her dad along for the ride. We've learned more and more as they get older about his service in the war, he was there and served from 1943 to 1946," says Ralph.

He served in World War II and was most looking forward to seeing his memorial at the mall. "I would like to see it if I had a chance to," says Paul Ciolli.

Ky Putnam served in the same war and says one of his most memorable experiences wasn't exactly an easy one.

"We were inadvertently shot down, and we walked for about three or four weeks in northern Italy," says Putnam.

He was traveling with his daughter on what they call a trip of a lifetime. "He has never been to Washington D.C. to see these memorials and without this Honor Flight group and the donations that people give to it, it wouldn't be possible," says Grace Blasingame.

As the crew got ready to board the plane they were met with cheers. "It was really cool because everyone started clapping and they were just looking over and their faces just looked so happy that it warmed my heart," says Shae Hamilton who was at Hobby Airport.

Just a few hours after takeoff, they arrived in D.C. with a similar welcome. "We are so honored to see these World War II veterans, the appreciation that they are receiving, wonderful," says Dr. Audrey Cooper-Stanton who was at the airport.

Folks inside the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were thrilled to see the veterans arrive, standing, clapping and shaking hands with those that served our country so many years ago.

"It means a lot , the things we went through and these people enjoyed and appreciated what we did," says Elton Evans, a World War II veteran.

"They shook our hand and said thank you for our service (how much did that mean to you) well it means a lot to me, it sure does, everybody was very, very nice," says Putnam.