Lots of Korean War and Vietnam War soldiers disembarked a helicopter at the , San Diego airport , Sunday to a group of hundreds of cheering relatives, friends and supporters.
The 90 soldiers had just spent a trip in , Washington, D. C., as element of , San Diego ‘s , Honor Flight , plan, which provides free visits to the world’s capital for veterans to visit the memorials of the wars they fought in.
A vital component of every , Honor Flight , excursion was what took place on Sunday: When they return home, they are greeted by cheering community members, friends and supporters at the airport. Veterans who returned from battle years ago are expected to receive the welcome welcome they previously received at the celebration.
” It was an emotional roller coaster all weekend. This only brought it home differently”, said , Honor Flight Navy , veteran , Dick Couch, hours after Sunday’s function.
Veteran after former broke into tears as they escalated from the airport appearance level toward the group on the escalator or elevator. Many of the soldiers stopped to weep in their families ‘ arms or hug fellow soldiers. Family members cried as well as they captured cellphone video of the group honoring their loved ones.
” I’m overwhelmed. We just did n’t expect it”, said , Frank Toms, an , Honor Flight Navy , veteran who lives in , Harbison Canyon. “makes my heart expand and causes me to cry”
San Diego is a part of a national nonprofit Pride Journey system that provides free visits to the country’s capital for World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War veterans. Additionally, the program offers flights to all-time service-connected chronically ill soldiers.
In the past 19 times, more than 275, 000 soldiers have gone on an Honor Flight, and there are about 130 pages of the community in 44 states, according to the national show’s site.
Since 2010, the , San Diego  , book has taken more than 1, 800 soldiers on journeys.
Veterans of the Asian or Vietnam War who served in either of the 90 soldiers on Sunday’s journey are all veterans of the Naval Special Warfare Operations.
Aside from expressing gratitude to veterans, some veterans claimed that the trip provided them with a unique opportunity to heal and practice their wounds from the wars in a way they had never been able to before.
George Sousa, an Army veteran of the Korean War and Purple Heart recipient from Point Loma, who has welcomed Honor Flight soldiers house every year since he went on the trip in 2018, said,” It gave me closure.”
Many veterans claim that the airport’s reunion welcome is significant because they did not receive it when they returned from war decades ago.
When , Air Force , veteran , Rich Frauenzimmer , landed again in the , U. S.  , in 1969 after serving in , Vietnam, he said he was spit on and had water thrown at him by anti- combat protesters in , Washington, D. C.  , Afraid of receiving more misuse, he tried to change out of his uniform for his supporting flight to his home in , New Jersey.
Fifty- five years later, on Sunday, he drove down to , San Diego  , from his house in , Yorba Linda , to give other soldiers the warm welcome he did n’t get. Frauenzimmer, who suffers from write-up- traumatic anxiety disorder, said doing this is helping him to approach his emotions.
” I need to do this because I know it’s the right thing to do”, said Frauenzimmer, who has submitted an application for a future Honor Flight.
Many in the crowd were veterans, including , Lawrence Hinkle, a retired , San Diego State University , educator who went on an Honor Flight in 2022.
The trip was a whirlwind of emotions, Hinkle said. When he saw the , Vietnam , War Memorial, he broke down upon locating his father- in- law’s name on the wall.
Hinkle made an appearance on Sunday to welcome other veterans with the Honor Flight greeting he had received. He said,” I want them to appreciate the emotion I had when I returned.”
This past weekend on the , San Diego  , trip, the group visited the , Arlington National Cemetery, where they saw the changing of the guard ceremony and visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They visited the Korean War Memorial,  , Vietnam , War Memorial,  , U. S.  , Marine Corps , Memorial,  , U. S. Navy , Memorial and Lincoln Memorial, said Honor Flight volunteer , Gary Zeugschmidt. Veterans also got a surprise visit from the , U. S.  , Secretary of the Navy , Carlos Del Toro.
To enable veterans to travel on the trip for free, Honor Flights are entirely funded by donations. On average, the San Diego Honor Flight chapter makes two trips annually.
The trip costs about$ 320, 000, Zeugschmidt said. The program is entirely volunteer- run, he added.
San Diego  , currently has a four- year waiting list for trips, Zeugschmidt said. Depending on circumstances such as medical condition, veterans may be moved up the priority list, he said.
Korean and , Vietnam , war veterans can apply for the program by visiting , honorflightsandiego. org. People can , donate online , by visiting the website or by mailing a check to , Honor Flight San Diego, P. O. Box 181309,  , Coronado, CA , 92178.
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