APPLETON (NBC 26) — Families eagerly anticipated their veterans arriving to the Appleton International Airport from Washington, D.C. aboard the Old Glory Honor Flight on Wednesday night.
"Pride, excitement for her," Tom Minger said, whose wife served during the Vietnam War. "She's going to be surprised at everything that's going on here."
"It means a lot," Ruth Arsta said, whose husband served during the Vietnam War. "He and I were married when he went to Vietnam."
"This is a third family member for me," Joyce Evers said, whose brother served in the reserves during the Vietnam War. "So, I kind of know how it is, and the anticipation is pretty high when they get off."
The family members are wives, husbands, siblings, and in-laws who served during the Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf wars.
"It was hard because we were only married a year, and then he was shipped off to war," Arsta said.
"Today [Wednesday] was the day he originally enlisted in the [United States] Coast Guard. 1955. June 7, 1955," Barb Pommerening said, whose husband served during the Korean War.
The Old Glory Honor Flight says its mission is "honoring local veterans one mission at a time."
Thousands of people showed their appreciation for their loved ones.
"I'm real proud of her," Minger said.
Their signs say so, showing their pride, thanking them for their service, and welcoming them home.
"We're going to yell real loud when he gets off the plane," Arsta said.
When the veterans arrived, it was definitely loud, with cheers and applause throughout the terminal.
Families waved their American flags, and one veteran even got a welcome-home kiss.
They were gestures filled with love and appreciation for the sacrifices these veterans made for us.
