Honor Flight welcomes home WWII veterans

The seventh annual Honor Flight welcomed home World War II veterans Saturday evening in Colorado Springs.

Twenty-four World War II veterans traveled from Colorado Springs to Washington, D.C., Thursday morning to see their memorial.

They were welcomed home by family, friends, active duty soldiers and others.

“It was overwhelming. Just the whole weekend has been such a welcome. It’s just emotional and I’m so pleased,” said Helen Quelch, an Army veteran.

“It was absolutely an awesome trip. The memorial was very nice and educational,” said Andy Porter, an Army Air Corps veteran.

About 70 years later, they’re getting the proper thank you they never received.

“When the war was over we were given a handshake or thank you. There was no appreciation at the time and no real show for what they went through,” said Grady Mitchell, who works with Honor Flight.

Honor Flight of Southern Colorado works to make sure our thousands of veterans don’t go unnoticed.

“I couldn’t ask for any better help than the people who went with us this weekend,” said Fred Jayne, a Navy veteran.

It was more than family and friends in attendance at the homecoming. Students from Florence High School wrote letters to the vets to thank them for their service.

“I want to go into the Air Force. I wrote a letter to an Army Air Corps veteran and I think it’s important to write to them so they’re not forgotten,” said Jeremiah Davis, a sophomore at Florence High School.

Student wrote dozens of letters, turning their textbook knowledge of the war into reality by meeting the vets for the first time.