Tuesday morning, October 28th, the 13th Upstate Honor Flight with 100 World War II and Korean War veterans from North Carolina and South Carolina left Greenville-Spartanburg Airport for Washington, D.C.
Tour buses were waiting outside at Reagan National Airport Terminal to take the veterans and support staff to the different memorials.
The first stop was the World War II Memorial, dedicated in May 2004. After lunch, the veterans visited the Iwo Jima Memorial, which honors all U.S. Marines. The next stop was at the Korean War Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial.
The last stop was at Arlington National Cemetery, to observe the Changing of the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
A special wreath, brought from Greenville to represent the Honor Flight group, was placed near the monument by a member of the Military Honor Guard.
After returning to Greenville-Spartanburg Airport, most of the veterans sat in wheelchairs and were pushed by their guardians through a corridor of honor formed by two rows of Pickens High School Army JROTC Honor Guard members. The Cadets raised the swords to honor the veterans as they entered the newly-renovated area of the terminal.
More than 350 family members, guests, school children and veterans gathered in the terminal lobby to welcome all the veterans back to Greenville.