ATLANTA — Over 20 Black Atlanta veterans took to the sky on Wednesday to be honored for their service.
The veterans boarded a plane in Atlanta and took a special flight to Washington, D.C., to visit the national memorials built to honor and commemorate their service and sacrifice, according to Honor Flight Network. The non-profit organization said that this was its first-ever Juneteenth Honor Flight trip and that it celebrated African American veterans from the Atlanta area.
According to a release, the veterans were taken on an all-expenses-paid trip where they were immersed in a day of visits to the World War II Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and more.
Part of the group included a 101-year-old veteran, three Purple Heart recipients -- one of whom is a Bronze Star recipient -- and four women veterans, the release said.
Honor Flight Network Chief Executive Officer Meredith Rosenbeck said that the purpose of the inaugural event is to pay tribute to the nation's unsung heroes -- the Black veterans who served.
"These veterans will return home with a renewed sense of pride, reminded by a grateful nation that they truly made a difference for each of us," Rosenbeck said.
Honor Flight Network board member and Civil War and American historian and military educator John McCaskill said that the flight will highlight the courage and resilience of Black veterans in addition to demonstrating gratitude for their service.
Many African American veterans were not only charged with defending our nation but also had to battle various limits placed upon them by society," McCaskill said.
In general, Honor Flight Network is a national nonprofit organization that was formed in 2005. A release said its mission is to celebrate the nation's veterans by inviting them to share a day of honor at memorials in Washington, D.C. The organization has given nearly 300,000 veterans across the country this experience since 2005. It also coordinates the travel of approximately 22,000 veterans from around the country each year with the help of volunteers and partners. These veterans are able to travel at no cost to them, according to a release.