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Brookshire’s Heroes Flight takes local vets to Washington, D.C.

Posted at 6:20 AM, Nov 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-13 07:22:24-05

Last week, over 20 World War II veterans made the trip to Washington, D.C. thanks to Brookshire’s WWII Heroes Flight.

The veterans left from Lafayette Regional Airport on Thursday morning and landed at Ronald Reagan Washington Airport in Arlington, Virginia to begin their three-day experience in the nation’s capital.

Along for the journey were KATC’s GMA co-anchor Dave Baker and photographer John Lee. The two documented every stop of the trip and now they’re sharing that journey with us.

Below is a collection of the photos and video of the “trip of a lifetime” for those who were able to take part.

Vets prepare for flight from LFT to DC
Vets prepare for their flight from LFT to DC
Vets waiting at LFT airport
WWII Veterans waiting at LFT airport for Heroes Flight to DC.

Upon landing at the airport in Arlington, Virginia, the WWII veterans were greeted by cheers and applause from military personnel, airport staff, and regular travelers in the airport.

 

The group toured iconic monuments and memorials like those to former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Vets at the FDR memorial
WWII Veterans stop at the FDR Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Martin Luther King Jr memorial
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial
Washington Monument
A shot of the Washington Monument from the FDR Memorial

The veterans also made a stop at Capitol Hill for a quick lesson from Congressman Louis Gohmert, Jr. of Texas on the statues that stand inside the National Statuary Hall.

View photos and video from those stop below:

WWII veterans at Capitol Hill
WWII veterans at Capitol Hill
Vets in National Statuary at the Capitol
WWII veterans in National Statuary at the Capitol
Rotunda shot Capitol Hill
A look up at the Rotunda of Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

At the end of the day on Thursday, the veterans were welcomed back to their hotel with cheers from local students in Virginia.

Veterans end day 1 in Virginia
WWII Veterans end day 1 in Virginia

On Friday, the veterans experienced the Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Photos from that ceremony are below:

Vets at Arlington National Cemetery
WWII Veterans experience Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery
Changing of the Guard ceremony
Changing of the Guard ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery

In the video below, the veterans make a visit to the Marine Corps War Memorial which was dedicated in 1954 and honors all Marines who have died in the defense of the United States since 1775.

More on the trip can be found by following Dave Baker on his Facebook page and Twitter. Tomorrow on GMA, Dave will bring us part two of the trip.

The veterans arrived in Lafayette on Saturday, November 10 to a hero’s welcome.