THE TRIAD CW DOZENS OF VETERANS FROM THE PIEDMONT TRIAD ARE BACK HOME AFTER A LONG BUT UNFOR FORGETTABLE DAY IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THE FIRST TRIAD HONOR FLIGHT OF 2024 IS NOW IN THE BOOKS, AND KENNY BECK WAS AT PTI AS THEIR FLIGHT LANDED JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO. HE’S LIVE FOR US NOW, KENNY. TONIGHT, A TRULY SPECIAL NIGHT. IT SURE WAS A WONDERFUL DAY FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAD GORGEOUS WEATHER UP IN D.C. TODAY. THAT’S ALWAYS ONE OF THE BIG X FACTORS. WEATHER WAS NOT AN ISSUE AT ALL TODAY. THE CROWD AT THE CONCOURSE HERE AT PTI FOR THE WELCOME HOME DID NOT DISAPPOINT, AND WE SAW SO MANY VETERANS GRINNING FROM EAR TO EAR. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. OUR HEROES ARE HOME. WHAT WAS TODAY LIKE FOR YOU? VERY MEMORABLE. I COULDN’T TAKE IT ALL IN. IT WAS A WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT PIEDMONT TRIAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN GREENSBORO. 100 LOCAL VETERANS ABOARD AMERICAN FLIGHT 9752 TOUCHED DOWN A LITTLE AFTER 8:00. THEY HAD A BUSY DAY SEEING PATRIOT MEMORIALS IN AND JUST OUTSIDE OF THE NATION’S CAPITAL DEDICATED TO THEIR SERVICE, WAITING FOR THEM ON THE CONCOURSE, A RAUCOUS CROWD WAVING AMERICAN FLAGS, HOLDING SIGNS, CHEERING THEIR SAFE RETURN AND SHOWING HEARTFELT APPRECIATION FOR THEIR SERVICE. EVEN IF IT HAPPENED BEFORE SOME OF THEM WERE BORN. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF 2024 AND THE SIXTH OVERALL SINCE TRIAD HONOR FLIGHT RENEWED THE PROGRAM IN LATE 2021. HUSBAND AND WIFE KOREAN WAR VETS RICHARD AND BERTIE SMITH OF LEXINGTON, WERE TWO OF THE HONOREES. WELL, I THINK THE WHOLE DAY WAS REALLY INTERESTING. I EVERYTHING WAS SO GOOD TODAY. I JUST HAD A WONDERFUL DAY OF UNFORGETTABLE. YOU NEVER FORGET SOMETHING LIKE THIS. YOU WILL NEVER FORGET IT. THE ELDEST PERSON ON THIS FLIGHT WAS WORLD WAR TWO VET VERNON COOPER, WHO TURNED 100 IN LATE MARCH. BEING A PART OF THIS GROUP WAS AN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC AND I COULDN’T HAVE BEAT IT ANY WAY. I ENJOYED IT SO MUCH AND I’LL NEVER FORGET IT. VETERANS AND THEIR GUARDIANS WEREN’T THE ONLY ONES ON THE PLANE. PAUL HUNT AND JESSICA BENSON, WHO WORKED FOR THE VIRTUAL REALITY COMPANY MIND IMMERSIVE, WERE ALSO ABOARD. THEY WERE INVITED ALONG TO FILM THE ENTIRE DAY SO THEY CAN CREATE AN HONOR FLIGHT EXPERIENCE FOR VETS WHO CAN’T PHYSICALLY GO ON A FLIGHT. IT’S GOING TO BE GREAT AND THEY’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT ALSO, BECAUSE WHEN THEY HEAR THAT WE’RE GOING TO DO THIS SO THAT OTHER VETERANS WHO AREN’T MOBILE, THAT CAN’T GET ON THE FLIGHT ANYMORE, AND THEY KNOW THAT NOW THEY’RE GOING TO GET TO EXPERIENCE IT. IT’S PRETTY EXCITING. THE DAY STARTED AT THE WORLD WAR TWO MEMORIAL AND ALSO INCLUDED STOPS AT THE KOREAN, VIETNAM AND LINCOLN MEMORIALS, AS WELL AS ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY. I FEEL. LIKE $1 MILLION. I WOULD LIKE NOT. TO SWITCH THIS DAY FOR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD. IT WAS THE ABSOLUTE BEST DAY IN MY LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES. I COULDN’T HAVE SAID IT ANY BETTER MYSELF. NOW THEY LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TRY IT. ON HER FLIGHT BEING ONE MOORE MISSION FOR ALL OF THE VETERANS INVOLVED AND FOR THEM, IT ABSOLUTELY IS. BUT FOR ALL THE HARD WORKING PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES WHO MAKE THESE FLIGHTS HAPPEN, THE WORK DOES NOT STOP. IN FACT, THE NEXT TRIAD HONOR FLIGHT, IS LESS THAN SIX MONTHS AWAY. OCTOBER 2ND OF THIS YEAR. LIVE IN GREENSBORO AT PTI
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100 veterans aboard first Triad Honor Flight of 2024 receive warm welcome home in Greensboro
Wednesday flight marks the sixth since a new group restarted the program in 2021
Our heroes are home, and their mission is complete.Wednesday night at Piedmont Triad Airport in Greensboro, 100 local veterans returned after a busy day seeing patriotic memorials in and just outside of the nation's capital dedicated to their service. Waiting for them in the concourse — a raucous crowd waiving American flags, holding signs, cheering their safe return, and showing earnest appreciation for their service, even if it occurred before some of them were born.On board this flight, the sixth one overall since Triad Honor Flight renewed the program in late 2021, were husband-and-wife Korean War vets Richard and Bertie Smith of Lexington."Well, I think the whole day was really interesting. Everything was so good today I just had a wonderful day, unforgettable," she said.The eldest person on this flight was World War II vet Vernon Cooper, who turned 100 in late March. "Being a part of this group was absolutely fantastic, and I couldn't have beat it anyway. I enjoyed it so much, and I'll never forget it," Cooper said.Veterans and their guardians weren't the only ones on the plane. Paul DeHondt and Jessica Benson, who work for the virtual reality company Mynd Immersive, were also aboard. They were invited along to film the entire day so they can create an Honor Flight experience for veterans with mobility issues."It's going to be great, and they're looking forward to it also because when they hear that we're going to do this so that other veterans who aren't mobile and can't get on the flight anymore and they know that now they're gonna get to experience it, it's pretty exciting," Benson said.The day started at the World War II Memorial and also included stops at the Korean, Vietnam, and Lincoln memorials, among others. Their tour ended at Arlington National Cemetery with a changing of the guard and a wreath-laying, followed by a quick flight home."I feel like a million dollars. I would not switch this day for anything in the world. It was the absolute best day in my life," said Air Force Vietnam veteran Donald Burton.Triad Honor Flight is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The final flight of 2024 is scheduled for Oct. 2. The entire day is free for the veterans, but each flight costs more than $100,000 to execute.To learn more about when and how to view Mynd Immersive's VR Honor Flight experience, you can call them at 1-800-756-2687 or reach out to them through their website.
GREENSBORO, N.C. —
Our heroes are home, and their mission is complete.
Wednesday night at Piedmont Triad Airport in Greensboro, 100 local veterans returned after a busy day seeing patriotic memorials in and just outside of the nation's capital dedicated to their service. Waiting for them in the concourse — a raucous crowd waiving American flags, holding signs, cheering their safe return, and showing earnest appreciation for their service, even if it occurred before some of them were born.
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On board this flight, the sixth one overall since Triad Honor Flight renewed the program in late 2021, were husband-and-wife Korean War vets Richard and Bertie Smith of Lexington.
"Well, I think the whole day was really interesting. Everything was so good today I just had a wonderful day, unforgettable," she said.
The eldest person on this flight was World War II vet Vernon Cooper, who turned 100 in late March.
"Being a part of this group was absolutely fantastic, and I couldn't have beat it anyway. I enjoyed it so much, and I'll never forget it," Cooper said.
Veterans and their guardians weren't the only ones on the plane. Paul DeHondt and Jessica Benson, who work for the virtual reality company Mynd Immersive, were also aboard. They were invited along to film the entire day so they can create an Honor Flight experience for veterans with mobility issues.
"It's going to be great, and they're looking forward to it also because when they hear that we're going to do this so that other veterans who aren't mobile and can't get on the flight anymore and they know that now they're gonna get to experience it, it's pretty exciting," Benson said.
The day started at the World War II Memorial and also included stops at the Korean, Vietnam, and Lincoln memorials, among others. Their tour ended at Arlington National Cemetery with a changing of the guard and a wreath-laying, followed by a quick flight home.
"I feel like a million dollars. I would not switch this day for anything in the world. It was the absolute best day in my life," said Air Force Vietnam veteran Donald Burton.
Triad Honor Flight is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The final flight of 2024 is scheduled for Oct. 2. The entire day is free for the veterans, but each flight costs more than $100,000 to execute.
To learn more about when and how to view Mynd Immersive's VR Honor Flight experience, you can call them at 1-800-756-2687 or reach out to them through their website.
