On Sunday evening in Kingsport, Tennessee, 21 Vietnam Veterans from the local area returned home after participating in the Honor Flight Mission 15 of the Appalachian Highlands. They were welcomed back at the Crossroads Global Methodist Church.

The Appalachian Highlands chapter of the Honor Flight, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to transporting veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit national monuments in honor of their military service and sacrifices.

Mission 15 began its journey on Friday, with veterans spending the weekend touring various significant sites, including the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial.

At Arlington National Cemetery, four veterans had the honor of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Veteran Dennis Caudill described the experience as one he will never forget.

“I’m incredibly grateful for everything the honor flight has done,” Caudill shared with News Channel 11. “We visited so many remarkable places. This welcome home celebration is vastly different from the reception I got returning from Vietnam.”

The return ceremony featured speeches from the Appalachian Highlands, provided American Flag gift bags to the veterans, and formally acknowledged each veteran and their accompanying guardian.

Sarah Rabb, Treasurer with the Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands, said the celebration was held in honor of the veterans, as many of them did not get recognition when they returned home from the Vietnam War.

“What it means to us is it’s a chance to recognize our veterans for their service and their sacrifice and give them the recognition that they didn’t get when they came home,” Rabb told News Channel 11.  

Veteran Oscar Irvin said he had been to D.C. in 1986 but never got the chance to visit the memorials. Being able to go back and catch up with those memorials is a memory he will hold close dearly.

“It was my first time and it was excellent; they [Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands] did an outstanding job,” said Irvin. “I had been to D.C. before, but I got to visit all of the memorials this time.”

The Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands will host their next trip in the upcoming spring. For more information, click here.