LIMA, OH (WLIO)-Â It was a Monday afternoon full of family, friends, and patriotism for some special veterans at the Allen County Regional Transit Authority.
Fifteen Lima area Vietnam veterans arrived the Allen County RTA for the Flag City Honor Flight Trip to Washington D.C. Before they left, veterans and their families enjoyed a meal, and then the participating Vietnam Veterans loaded the bus and received a police escort to I-75. On their way around the block, the bus then drove under a gigantic American Flag that was raised by the Lima Fire Department, which provided a patriotic symbol as the veterans head out on this important trip.
"The purpose of this is to honor all the veterans and to see the memorials in D.C. to honor those who didn't make it. Fifty years ago, nobody cared about Vietnam veterans... now they do, which is very wonderful for all veterans," says George Mox, a veteran attending the Honor Flight.
Richard Mowery, a second veteran attending the Honor Flight, adds that, "Right now, it's to honor the veterans that went to Vietnam. I didn't get that opportunity, but yet a lot of guys did. Some didn't come back; some came back in not very good shape, and they were not treated very good. So this is a way, Mike's given us a chance for the ones who did go and the ones who didn't go, to be able to go to this trip in honor of all the veterans."
Tuesday, the veterans will board the Flag City Honor Flight where they will fly to the nation's capital. A total of 87 Vietnam-era veterans will be traveling on this trip.
