Nearly 70 veterans board Honor Flight from Clearwater to Washington D.C.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The tradition continues as the 44th Honor Flight took off from St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport Tuesday morning.

Roughly 70 veterans boarded a plane around 5 a.m. to make the early morning trip to Washington D.C. Many of the veterans told FOX 13 they got no sleep the night before because they were so excited about the day’s festivities

Honor Flights leaving from PIE have taken thousands of veterans on a day to the nation’s Capital as a way of saying thank you to the heroes who gave so much.

Tuesday morning’s flight was filled with veterans who represented every branch of the military sad who had served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

Upon arriving in DC, the veterans have a jampacked day. One volunteer told FOX 13 they expected to walk about 4 miles by the day’s end. The veterans will spend their day visiting war monuments. For many of the veterans, this is their first trip to Washington DC.

It’s a trip filled with excitement, but also emotion, as veterans often recognize the names of friends and fellow soldiers on the monuments’ walls.

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The veterans will return to St. Pete Clearwater International Airport Tuesday night, and the public is invited to help welcome them back which will serve as the veterans’ final surprise of the trip.

The public is asked to arrive at the airport by 7:30, and parking will be free.