Nearly 100 veterinarians will receive a warm welcome Sunday after a three-day trip to Washington, D.C., in honor of their service

The scene Sunday afternoon at San Diego International Airport was one of great pride and patriotism as hundreds of supporters cheered on 92 veterans returning from Washington, DC

As the veterans descended the Terminal 2 escalator after three days of visiting memorials and other sightseeing, family and friends cheered them on with “Welcome Home” signs, red and blue balloons and American flags of all sizes.

They were part of a twice-yearly trip to the nation's capital organized by the nonprofit organization Honor Flight San Diego to honor local veterans and give them the opportunity to travel together on a charter flight. The program is open to all veterans who served in a branch of the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War, or to terminally ill veterans.

“I really, really enjoyed it – we really saw a lot,” said Ernie Skillern, a retired Air Force master sergeant who lives in Menifee.

Skillern, 88, said he hasn't been to D.C. in more than 50 years. He said his favorite place was the Washington Monument, recalling that he was able to climb to the top five decades ago, but on this trip could only admire it from the ground.

Vo Clark, 82, said the three-day trip was a remarkable and unforgettable experience.

“It was absolutely fascinating and humbling and emotional for most of us,” said Clark, a retired U.S. Army member who now lives in Eastlake.

Clark said he was glad he overcame some last-minute reluctance to make the trip.

“At first I was excited about it, but as it got closer I asked myself, 'Do I really want to do this?' ” he said.

Clyde Hamilton, 94, said the best part of the whole experience was the letters of support he received from his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He said spending three days with so many other veterans was “like being with family” and he couldn't pick a favorite memorial in D.C

“I enjoyed everything,” said Hamilton, a retired U.S. Navy commander who lives in Bonita. “I was impressed by the feelings behind each of them.”

Scott Perry, 89, said he was pleasantly surprised at how well the veterans got along since almost none of them knew any of the others before the trip.

“It may have been a little strange, but we bonded,” Perry said, noting that all of the veterans appeared to have made a conscious decision to avoid discussing their combat experiences.

Perry, a retired U.S. Marine Corps first sergeant who lives in San Marcos, said his two favorite monuments in D.C. are those dedicated to World War II and the Marine Corps.

Steve Saulnier, 81, said he was impressed by Honor Flight San Diego, which has been organizing such trips since 2010, and surprised that more people don't know about it.

“I didn’t understand how big an operation it was,” said Saulnier, a retired U.S. Navy member who lives in Coronado.

His wife, Lucy Saulnier, said she wants to make sure more people are aware of Honor Flight, which has additional locations in other parts of the country.

She said Sunday's loud and enthusiastic reception was particularly important since many of the veterans on the trip served in Vietnam.

“A lot of people from the Vietnam War didn’t get a welcome home,” she said. “I had to stop crying.”

Josh Mellinger agreed.

“The best thing about the program is that it honors heroes who served in Vietnam and gives them the proper return home they never got,” said Mellinger, whose presence in the crowd was somewhat bittersweet.

“My father was supposed to be on this flight, but he is at home in hospice,” Mellinger said.

Honor Flight San Diego pays for each trip, which typically costs about $300,000, entirely through donations.

For this trip, they have formed a new partnership with Feed San Diego, a nonprofit that estimates that 24 percent of active military members lack adequate access to food. Food collection bins donated by Honor Flight supporters were placed at the airport.

For more information, visit feedsandiego.org or honorflightsandiego.org.

Originally published: September 29, 2024 at 6:51 p.m