On Tuesday, Marc Cox, of 97.1 FM Talk’s The Marc Cox Morning Show, left St. Louis at 5:30 A.M. for Washington, D.C. to go on an Honor Flight.
The Greater St. Louis Honor Flight organization transports America’s most senior military veterans to Washington, D.C. to experience the memorials built in their honor — the current priority being World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans.
“When a lot of these Vietnam War veterans returned, they didn’t get a good greeting in the United States,” Cox said. “They didn’t get a lot of honor and respect because of all of the controversies about that war — that a lot of the blame was wrongly put on the soldiers who were over there.”
When the crew landed in Washington, the senior veterans were greeted with applause. Volunteers catered to their every need once they were off the ground — finding shade in the heat, getting water, and wheeling them around.
“I am almost without words to describe how great that thing was,” Cox said. “Everytime I thought, how much more can they do for these veterans? They did something else.”
After the trip, they were greeted by members of the U.S. Army, Airforce, and Marines, saluting each person as they got off the place in St. Louis. On their way out the airport doors, the hallways were lined with friends and family welcoming them back with American flags.
“These Honor Flights come from all over the country, but in St. Louis, I think they do an extra special job of treating these folks with respect,” Cox said. “They love it so much, you can just see it on their faces.”
Cox reiterates what a Vietnam War veteran said to him after the trip: “Whatever bad things happened when I got back here after my service, this makes up for all of it.”
Honors Flights rely on volunteers and donations. To help more veterans experience their memorials free of charge, donate to the Greater St. Louis Honor Flight.
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