Honor Flight most deserving for WWII vets

Last week, 102 veterans from Northwest Florida participated in the inaugural Emerald Coast Honor Flight.

Honor Flight is about honoring the courage, valor and sacrifices of the brave men and women who served during World War II. I am extremely proud of our community for stepping up to the plate and showing our appreciation for the Greatest Generation. I hope that our veterans will now have a deeper understanding of how much their country loves them.

It was my pleasure hosting the veterans in our nation's capital. The day's journey took them through the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial and the Iwo Jima Memorial.

As they visited these sites, they had a chance to share memories, stories and reflections with each other. The stories these heroes told were unbelievable, fascinating and real. Throughout the day, visitors on the National Mall were able to captivate the spirit of the monuments and the memorials through the eyes of veterans and their stories of personal sacrifice and love of country.

Northwest Florida has more than 6,000 World War II veterans living in the area. These individuals deserve to be recognized as the brave heroes that literally saved the world. Through the Emerald Coast Honor Flight, with the help of individuals and businesses throughout Northwest Florida, it is my hope that every one of our World War II veterans in the area are afforded the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., at no cost to them.

The Emerald Coast is wellknown for its unwavering support for our men and women in uniform in both current and past conflicts. With a strong military presence and nearly 105,000 veterans, there is a tremendous appreciation in the area for those who put their lives on the line to defend liberty.

It is, therefore, of little surprise to me that people throughout Florida 's First Congressional District came together so willingly and eagerly to make this inaugural trip a reality. For many of our veterans, especially World War II veterans who have waited so long for a memorial, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Greatest Generation made our world a better place because they fought for what was right, and it is right for us to show them our gratitude at every opportunity.

Our people in uniform have always stood ready to defend liberty, and for that we owe them an eternal debt of gratitude.

I am deeply moved by Emerald Coast Honor Flight's efforts to convey to these veterans the knowledge that their service will be long felt within out heart and appreciated by generations to come.

May our troops and our nation continue to be blessed.