News : E Iowa Honor Flight sends first group to WWII Memorial; 4 Vinton vets see D.C.

LaDonna Pettit was Vince Blank's caregiver during Honor Flight.

Vince Blank's family: daughters Julia Meadows & Jan Knaack & wife Nancy greeted him at airport.

Smith-Geater VFW Post 8884 member Marilyn Newton played bagpipes as veterans entered airport.

Vinton Legion Commander Craig Streeter and Shellsburg Legion Rider Rob Wright welcomed veterans.

National Guard soldiers greet Vince Blank of Vinton as he returns from Honor Flight.

It had been a very long day for the 98 veterans by the time they arrived at the Eastern Iowa Airport late Tuesday night. They had gotten up well before dawn to make the flight to Washington, D.C. that same day.

But as they saw the large crowd that formed two welcoming lines that stretched from the concourse all the way to the escalators leading to the airport entrance, the veterans stood a little taller and walked a little faster.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Greatest Generation!" announced a leader of the Patriot Guard as the veterans walked or rolled in wheelchairs.

The first group of North Central Iowa Honor Flight veterans, accompanied by caregivers and media, flew to D.C. to see the World War II Memorial. Donations and sponsorships allowed the veterans to fly for free. Caregivers who accompany the veterans pay $550 of their own money to assist the veterans on their journey.

"It was pretty fantastic, very emotional," said Roger Uthoff, one of the leaders of the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight organization.

The veterans began their day in Washington at the World War II Memorial, where Gov. Chet Culver and Sen. Charles Grassley welcomed them.

"That was the key to the whole trip, letting them see the memorial that honors them," said Uthoff, who gave a radio interview on WMT-AM from Arlington Cemetery later that day.

The veterans had lunch on their bus while taking a tour of D.C. Tour guides described the places as the bus passed them. Veterans saw the White House and many other federal buildings.

The next stop was the Vietnam Memorial, which also allowed the veterans to see the Korea War Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. After approximately an hour there, the veterans traveled to the Iwo Jima Memorial, the statue based on the iconic photograph from 1945.

The last stop of the day was Arlington National Cemetery, where veterans saw the changing of the guard.

One the way home, there was Mail Call. Veterans received personal letters from family and friends, as well as thousands of letters from area school children.

"Every veteran got mail," said Uthoff.

The Honor Flight organization also issued dog tags to each participant as a souvenir of their day.

"Everyone was tired but nobody seemed to sleep," said Uthoff.

Currently, the Honor Flight organization's web site is still www.ncihonorflight.org. But the group is changing its name to Eastern Iowa Honor Flight to make its name consistent with the Eastern Iowa Aiport, where the flights originate. The airport also makes many in-kind contributions that help lesson the expense of the flight, waiving landing fees, providing free parking for Honor Flight veterans and donating staff time to make the flights run more smoothly.

The next Honor Flight is Sept. 14; the organization is already raising money for that event.