BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Honor Flight 51 has landed in D.C. with 94 veterans on board.
- Anyone who has served in the U.S. Military, including the National Guard, between December 7, 1941, and May 7, 1975, is eligible to fill out an application for Honor Flight Kern County
- You did not have to serve in combat to be eligible
There's also an in-person interview process that begins 3 months before the flight, along with a checklist of items that we are required to complete.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It's the 51st Honor Flight that left Bakersfield headed to Washington, DC, carrying 94 veterans back to see the memorials. I'm Mike Hart, your senior reporter, where a very spirited group of people sent off our veterans on this whirlwind tour."You're one of only 8 Marines on this flight. Yeah, I don't know what to say," said Terry Ray, a Marine in Vietnam, "there are 41 Army veterans on board, so you're going to be okay. Yeah, fine. We're always in front of them anyway."
The first honor flight of 20-25 was greeted with smiles and laughter for the heroes and support staff making this trip, including a lot of familiar faces.
"I'm the green bus leader and you know what they say... the wheels on the bus go round and round... by the time we're done, they'll know the song," said longtime supporter Jeff Salters, "I thought you were going to say the wheels come off... they might too!"
The latest mission to D.C includes 84 Vietnam veterans... and for many of these heroes... the visit to the Wall... stirs up a lot of emotion... before they even arrive.
"Touching the wall, seeing if I can find a good friend of mine that didn't come home... that's what I hope to accomplish," said Tony Martinez, who served in the Army during Vietnam. The unit also included a celebrity... Glen Campbell... no... not the musician... Chief Master Sgt Glenn Campbell, who joined the Air Force... and headed to Vietnam at 19...
"I'm in San Francisco, they're paige Glenn Campbell, everyone looking around, I walk up "Hi, I'm Glenn Campbell, anybody want autographs?!" said Campbell.
Everyone is a celebrity on this flight. The veterans are treated like royalty from wheels up to touchdown, until they return home safely. And the 51st mission will come to a close on Thursday when our veterans, guardians, and support staff return to a heroes' welcome on Thursday at 6:30 pm.
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