HONORED: Flight of a lifetime

From all of the 71 veterans who went to Washington, D.C., on the April 17 Honor Flight, a big thank you to all of the many folks donating their time, money, planning skills, guardians and photographers who made this unforgettable trip possible.

In a whirlwind of 38 hours, we vets were taken on a chartered direct flight to Dulles airport. Upon arrival that afternoon, four buses took us to the World War II and Air Force Memorials. After that we went to our hotel in Arlington, Va., for an evening banquet.

The next day we were up before 6 a.m. for breakfast and boarded our buses. But this time we had two motorcycle police and a police car escort to clear the traffic as they sped us to Arlington National Cemetery. We visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Changing of the Guards ceremony. Then on to the other war memorials and sites honoring the Army, Navy, Marines and women of the armed services.

But most meaningful were the hundreds of people who came to the airports in Spokane (6 a.m.), Washington, D.C., and late Tuesday evening in Spokane. For all of those cheering more than 500 young and old civilians, veterans, Scouts, school band TV audience, please know how emotionally meaningful this event was to us, especially for the Vietnam vets.

Thank you. Thank you all. This is one of the things that still makes America great.

NORMAN LEFFLER, M.D.

Capt. U.S.A.F., retired

Coeur d’Alene