100 Veterans Flown To Washington, D.C. In Largest Austin Honor Flight To Date

AUSTIN, TX — Honor Flight Austin departed from the airport on Friday for a special flight to Washington, D.C., comprising 100 area Vietnam War veterans.

The vets flew out to the nation's capital to visit and experienced the various memorials built in their honor. To date, this is the largest honor flight for Austin organizers. The eager veterans arrived at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport ticketing booth at around 10 am. on Friday.

Before departing, the group participated in a procession from Gate 5 to Gate 12, led by the TSA Honor Guard and Austin Police Department Bag Pipes and Drum Corps. By 4:15 p.m., the group of military veterans arrived at Ronald Reagan National Airport in the nation's capital.

And by Saturday, Sept. 9, the service members returned from their memorable trip, having departed from Washington, D.C. at 3;35 p.m. CDT and arriving in Austin at 6:05 p.m. local time. The flight was on Southwest Airlines, with the Hilton Austin Airport serving as corporate sponsor. ThunderCloud Subs pitched in with lunch and refreshments for the veterans.

Trips on Honor Flight are made possible at no cost to the veterans through donations.

>>> Photo of Vietnam War veterans participating on Honor Flight courtesy of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.