I’m writing my blog today from Alexandria, Va., where our contingent of World War II veterans taking part in the inaugural Soutwest Minnesota Honor Flight are gearing up for tonight’s Heroes Banquet.

It’s been a busy, but wonderful day so far, starting with our arrival at the airport in Sioux Falls shortly before 6 a.m. The veterans were greeted by flag waving and cheering members of the Patriot Guard, Rolling Thunder and Legion Riders … among them Simon Koster of Worthington.

Just as the last of the veterans and guardians had arrived at our gate, we boarded a Sun Country 737 bound for Dulles Airport. Little did we know the fanfare our heroes would receive when they arrived there.

Before landing at Dulles, our pilot announced that Washington, D.C. firefighters were waiting for our plane’s arrival to stream an arch of water over the plane from either side. The veterans seated around me were quite impressed … "My goodness, would you look at that!"

The celebration continued as they unboarded, with about 50 flag-waving, hand-shaking, hug-giving Americans … from Honor Flight Ground Crew members to Air Force soldiers in uniform to little kids in strollers … waiting at the gate.

For these World War II veterans, it was almost overwhelming.

"It was tremendous – it brought tears to my eyes," said Wendell Erickson of Hills. "I thought of so many people who didn’t make it this far – they were the real heroes."

After boarding our red, white and blue labeled buses, we headed for the Air Force Memorial, located just up the hill from the Pentagon. One of the newer memorials in Washington, D.C., it is dedicated to the men and women who take to the skies in service to their country. One of the photos taken at the stop included all seven of the Air Force veterans travelling with us on this journey.

The Marine Corps Memorial, more commonly called the Iwo Jima statue, was our next stop. I had only seen this memorial from afar when I was in Washington, D.C., 21 years ago on the 4-H Citizenship Washington Focus, so I was especially looking forward to this stop.

I was also fortunate to find out that Worthington’s own Ken Thompson was aboard a ship that dropped Marines off at Iwo Jima on the first day of battle there. Ken was pulled out of our group to give impromptu comments to a group of high school students visiting the memorial. The kids were so respectful and thanked Ken for his service to our country.

The last stop of the day was at Arlington National Cemetery to see the changing of the guard. It’s such a somber place to visit, with rows upon rows of neatly organized tombstones. I can’t imagine what the veterans thought as they journeyed through the cemetery, undoubtedly some of them know of a soldier buried there.

I’ll be interviewing more veterans during the Heroes Banquet tonight about their experience at Arlington. Stories from each of our stops in this two-day adventure will be published in a special commemorative edition on May 8.

Tomorrow’s schedule includes visits to the World War II Memorial, Vietnam, Korean, Lincoln and Navy memorials and the Air & Space Museum. It will be another busy day, but one the veterans have been looking forward to!

Arrival time back in Sioux Falls is slated for 10 p.m. Saturday night. The public is invited to come and welcome their World War II heroes back home. More information on that will be included in Saturday’s Daily Globe.

When I first learned of the Southwest Minnesota Honor Flight project early last December, I could not have imagined that within a span of less than five months, the first flight would be taking off from the Sioux Falls Airport filled with 110 World War II veterans and 52 guardians, staff and press people.

Yet here we are … today is a big day. It’s a big day for the men and women who selflessly served their country in its time of need. This Honor Flight came about not only as a way to get our World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to see the memorial built for them, but as a way for us here in southwest Minnesota to say thank you.

Thanks to all veterans, we have the freedoms we enjoy today.

Attending the pre-flight banquet Thursday night in Luverne, I got teary-eyed more than once as I saw our local heroes arrive. Having had a chance to interview about one-fifth of the contingent going on this inaugural flight, I know how much they have been looking forward to this day.

It has been such an honor to interview these men and women over the past 19 weeks and share their stories with our readers. I have learned so much from them … not just about geography (only a couple veterans chided me when I had to ask where islands like Tinian and Roi were located), but about life in general.

To hear how these men and women lived through the war, came home and made a life for themselves and their families is truly inspiring.

I have wonderful memories of the people I’ve met in the past five months … chatting with Jake Dekker at his dining room table, interviewing Art Broekhuis over the telephone because it was blizzarding outside (he was the only veteran I didn’t interview in person), sharing homemade cookies and tea with Johnny Johnson, being scared of Elgie Rachuy’s big German shepherd (I stayed in my car until Elgie came out of the house and called his dog away from my car door), laughing with Don Moffitt and his wife (she was quite the jokester … telling me they had "five kids, I think" only to be corrected by Don that they had three!), and last, but certainly not least, seeing the love that Hooley and Lorraine Huehn have for each other after all these years.

To share a love like that (I noticed this in several of the couples I met) … that’s what life is all about.

I know I’ve left people out and I apologize for that. It’s late, we have a busy two days ahead in Washington, D.C., and ultimately … I just want to say thanks for the memories and I look forward to making so many more on this journey with our southwest Minnesota heroes who truly are part of the greatest generation.

This afternoon I will complete my last interview with a World War II veteran (actually it will be two veterans) taking part in the inaugural Honor Flight Southwest Minnesota trip this Friday and Saturday.

The special series began on Dec. 24, 2009, to honor our World War II heroes and build momentum for the roughly $136,000 that needed to be raised for their trip to see their memorial in Washington, D.C. Amazingly enough, the people of southwest Minnesota opened their wallets and their checkbooks and the money came pouring in. Not only did we have enough money for the first flight, we are well on our way to collecting the funds for a second flight this fall.

Of the 19 World War II features published in the Daily Globe since Christmas Eve, I have written 18 of them. I can honestly say the men and women I’ve interviewed along the way have been truly inspirational. Their stories have been fascinating to hear, and their war memorabilia truly amazing. (I had chills up my spine while holding the pocket watch Don Moffitt lifted off a dead German soldier.) I hope I was able to write their stories in a way to not just inform our readers, but give them a sense of pride for the men and women who fought for the freedoms we enjoy today.

I am so proud of these veterans … the struggles they endured at war, and – for some – the struggles they endured when they returned to life and family here in southwest Minnesota. I know firsthand how appreciative they are to the people who have made this inaugural flight possible for them.

On Friday, I will accompany the 110 World War II veterans and dozens of guardians on the flight to Washington, D.C. My job will be to capture the scenes, the emotion, the comments and the stories in print, while Daily Globe photographer Brian Korthals will record the moments in pictures. Certainly, this is an amazing assignment for both of us … one that we do not take lightly. The images and text of our trip will be compiled in a special tribute that will publish in the Daily Globe on May 8.

While part of me is a bit nervous about the days ahead, the excitement is building. I’m sure the same is true for our veterans!

My hope is for sunny skies, good health among our veterans and a two-day trip that produces memories of a lifetime. It looks like the weather may already be in our favor … the forecast is for sun and 80 degrees on Friday, and partly cloudy and 72 degrees on Saturday.