ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – As part of the United States 250th anniversary of independence celebration, 32 local veterans recently received a powerful reminder of the freedoms they helped secure during the latest Honor Flight of Northern New Mexico to Washington, D.C.
The all-expenses-paid trip transported the veterans from the Albuquerque International Sunport to the nation’s capital, where they visited the memorials built to honor their service and sacrifice. For many of the attendees representing conflicts ranging from World War II and Korea to the Vietnam War, it was their first time seeing the monuments in person. Also, this year’s flight includes a 99-year-old World War II veteran, a Korean War veteran and 30 Vietnam War veterans.
The Honor Flight of Northern New Mexico is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization created solely to honor New Mexico’s veterans. Through the generosity of local donors and the dedication of volunteer “guardians” who escort the veterans throughout the trip, the organization ensures the heroes pay nothing for the experience.
Upon arriving in Washington, the group toured the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, alongside the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.…