Barack Obama surprises Honor Flight veterans by boarding their aircraft

WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama stunned Honor Flight veterans who have been touring to DC from Wisconsin over the weekend to pay tribute to their army service.

Obama, 64, boarded the aircraft stuffed with World Warfare II, Korean Warfare and Vietnam Warfare veterans on Saturday and thanked them for his or her sacrifices earlier than shaking among the visibly awestruck vets’ fingers, a video he posted to his social media accounts on Veterans Day confirmed.

“Whats up, all people,” the forty fourth president started. “As we method Veterans Day, I simply wished to cease by and say thanks on your extraordinary service.”

Among the veterans onboard gasped, with one shouting, “What” as the previous president acknowledged them at Reagan Nationwide Airport, which is positioned simply exterior DC.

Obama then shook their fingers as they disembarked from the previous and gave every of them a presidential problem coin.

“I used to be grateful to have the ability to greet veterans who served in Korea and Vietnam as they arrived in DC this weekend, and provides them a private token of my gratitude,” Obama later wrote on X.

Since former President Invoice Clinton, US presidents have designed their very own problem coin to acknowledge contributions to the nation.

Honor Flight, a nonprofit volunteer group that organizes free journeys for veterans to see the DC memorials, organized for the flight that Obama visited.

The group operates over 100 hubs throughout the nation and has flown some 300,000 vets to DC since its inception, with its final deliberate flight to Reagan Nationwide Airport of 2025 going down on Dec. 6 and coming from Austin, in accordance with its web site.

“The final time I obtained to see a president, it was Gerald Ford,” one veteran informed Obama.

After the shock welcome from Obama, the veterans have been warmly obtained with cheers and reward as they walked by way of the airport.

Ultimately, they have been transported to the Nationwide Mall to see the memorials constructed of their honor.

“I had tears in my eyes,” Military veteran Joe Parr stated of the journey. “I simply couldn’t consider that there have been that many individuals round who remembered us and have been there to greet us. It was simply unbelievable.”

Capt. Mary Quigley, a retired Navy veteran who volunteers for Honor Flight, defined that “We simply attempt to deal with them with dignity that a few of them didn’t get once they got here house from the conflict.”

She famous that not each veteran obtained a hero’s welcome after returning house from the battlefield, alluding to the Vietnam Warfare.

“I’m actual joyful that now, with present troops, they arrive again from deployments and so they get welcomed again actually properly — as a result of that’s what ought to occur,” Navy veteran Nels Swenson stated.

“So it’s being recreated on this flight. It makes me really feel good.”