'Honor Flight' Transports 43 Austin-Area War Veterans To Washington, D.C. Memorials

AUSTIN, TX — An "honor flight" departed from the Austin airport on Friday with a precious cargo: 34 area World War II, Korean and Vietnam War veterans headed to Washington, D.C. to visit and experience the memorials built in their honor.

This marked the 46th Austin Honor flight overall, and the sixth this year. The group of veterans arrived at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport ticketing desk at around 10 a.m. before assembling for a procession stretching from Gate 5 to Gate 12 at around 11:15 a.m.

That procession was led by the TSA Honor Guard and Austin Police Department Bag Pipes and Drum Corps. The veterans then departed just past noon, arriving at Ronald Reagan National Airport at 4:15 p.m. The veterans will return to Austin Saturday, Sept. 23.

Those wanting to help welcome the veterans back home can do so at roughly 6:45 p.m. upstairs in west ticketing, airport officials said. The vets are scheduled to arrive at 6:30 p.m. on a Southwest Airlines flight. Sponsors include the Hilton Austin Airport, and lunch and refreshments are provided to veterans courtesy of ThunderClouds Subs.

Trips on Honor Flight are made possible at no cost to the veterans through donations. Honor Flight Austin is a non-profit organization created to honor veterans by transporting them to visit and reflect at their war memorials. Honor Flight Austin serves veterans residing within Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Gillespie, Gonzales, Hays, Lee, Llano, Milam, Travis and Williamson Counties. To support Honor Flight Austin or to learn more about the organization, visit www.honorflightaustin.org.

>>> Image courtesy Austin-Bergstrom International Airport