-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veteran Keith Chapman is greeted by girls from Girl Scout troop 81625 of Brunswick, Maryland. Boy Scouts, American Heritage Girls, and volunteers of all ages made a huge welcoming line for the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight veterans as they arrived at Dulles Airport Saturday.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
World War II veteran Bill Lees visits the World War II memorial and is greeted by his family including great-grandson Julian Zemel, right. His granddaughter Sarah Phillips, left, was taking him around for the day.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
World War II veteran Bill Lees opens a card that says "Thank you for your service, Great Grandpa Bill." The 98 veterans on the honor flight received notes from their families during mail call on the flight home.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
First Lt. Matt Rojo, public affairs officer for the U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico, greets Bill Foval and the other veterans as they arrive at the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veterans file up the walkway to pay respects at the grave of Audie Murphy at Arlington National Cemetery. Murphy was the most decorated soldier of World War II, and is one of more than 400,000 service men and women honored by burial in the national cemetery.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
The burial flag of Vietnam Veteran Steven Dorsey, of Callender, was carried to the Vietnam War Memorial by staff from the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight. Dorsey passed away in spring of 2015. A flag for Vietnam Veteran Robert Skelton, of Onawa, was also taken.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight Veterans observe the ceremonial changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier, Arlington National Cemetery.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veteran Roger Poppen shows his respect at the lowering of the flag at Arlington National Cemetery.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
"The Price of Freedom". The gold stars on this wall at the World War II Memorial are explained by this plaque at left. Each of the 4,048 stars on the wall represent 100 Americans who died in the war.
-Messenger photo by Jesse Major
Tanner North, 3, sits on his father, Jamie North's shoulders while waiting for his grandpa to return from the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight on Saturday.
-Messenger photo by Jesse Major
Lois Leimer and her husband Orlando Leimer, are all smiles after he returned from the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight on Saturday.
-Messenger photo by Jesse Major
Inez Lees, right, of Boone, surprised her husband William Lees when he returned from the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight on Saturday and brought a photo of the couple taken when they were younger. The two had their first date the day before Pearl Harbor was attacked.
-Messenger photo by Jesse Major
John Clark, an Army Veteran who served during the Korean War, records a reaction video for his his friends and family who couldn't make it out to the Fort Dodge Regional Airport.
-Messenger photo by Jesse Major
The Fort Dodge Fire Department flew their large American Flag at the Fort Dodge Regional Airport as the Brushy Creek Are Honor Flight returned from Washington, D.C., Saturday.
-Messenger photo by Jesse Major
Bentlie Rousseau, 4, of Humboldt, holds a sign and American Flag as she waits for her great grandfather, Ron Sander, to return from the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight on Saturday.
-Messenger photo by Jesse Major
Morrelle Christiansen, an Army veteran who served during World War II, wears a feather from a dream catcher on his hat. He said it would make him easy to spot while he was in Washington, D.C., on Saturday for the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight.
-Messenger photo by Jesse Major
Norma Willoughby, a Royal Air Force veteran who served during World War II, is carried up the stairs to the plane taking her and 97 other veterans on the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight on Saturday.
-Messenger photo by Jesse Major
Veterans board the plane before flying to Washington, D.C., for the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight on Saturday.
-Messenger photo by Jesse Major
John Olmstead, a Korean War veteran who served in the Army, sits outside the Fort Dodge Regional Airport holding an American flag as he greets veterans going on the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight on Saturday. Olmstead went on the flight two years ago.
-Messenger photo by Jesse Major
Glenn Doorenbos goes through security Saturday morning at the Fort Dodge Regional Airport before going on the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
World War II veteran Lael Lesmeier opens his envelope during mail call on the flight back to Fort Dodge.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
World War II veteran Norma Willoughby shows off the challenge coin veterans were given on the flight back as a souvenir from the trip.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veterans from Calhoun County with First Lt. Matt Rojo, public affairs officer for the U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veterans from Sac County with First Lt. Matt Rojo, public affairs officer for the U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veterans from Hamilton County with First Lt. Matt Rojo, public affairs officer for the U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico, at the Marine Corps War Memorial. This memorial shows the famous scene of marines raising the U.S. flag over Iwo Jima.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veterans from O'Brien County with First Lt. Matt Rojo, public affairs officer for the U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veterans from O'Brien County
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veterans from Osceola County with First Lt. Matt Rojo, public affairs officer for the U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veterans from Webster County
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veterans from Osceola County
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight veterans are thanked by First Lt. Matt Rojo, public affairs officer for the U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico, after taking a group photo at the Marine Corps War Memorial, which depicts the flag raising at Iwo Jima.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight veterans watched the lowering of the flag for the day at Arlington National Cemetery.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight veterans watch as an honor guard comes to lower the flag for the day at Arlington National Cemetery.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
The large flag at the top of the hill at Arlington National Cemetery.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
World War II veteran Haskel Valentine served as a Navy Seabee (in a CB, or construction brigade), and took a moment to stop here at the Seabees memorial just outside Arlington National Cemetery. The large slogan above him reads "Seabees ~ can do."
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Korean War veteran Leon Pudenz, left, and World War II veteran Cyril Renze meet one of the ducks that has taken up residence in the National World War II memorial.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Nine World War II veterans went on the honor flight, and lined up to take a picture here at the World War II memorial. From left, Dale Green, Lael Lesmeier, Roman Knecht, Cyril Renze (in back), Morrell Christensen, William Lees, Norma Willoughby, Haskel Valentine and Reinhard Hibbing. Behind them are 4,048 gold stars, each which represents 100 Americans who died in the war.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
World War II veteran Norma Willoughby points out locations noted on the fountain at the Atlantic arch in the World War II memorial.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
World War II veterans Norma Willoughby, left, and Bill Lees are helped around the World War II memorial by their respective grandchildren, Paul Bloomquist and Sarah Phillips.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Veterans overlook the fountains with names of important locations, as well as the central reflecting fountain at the World War II memorial
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
World War II veteran William Lees visits with a U.S. Airman at the World War II memorial. Lees served in the Army Air Corps before the Air Force was created.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Honor Flight guardians Andy Meredith and Tricia Zubrod, and Zubrod's father Merlyn Zubrod view the Vietnam War Memorial
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight chairman Ron Newsum places the burial flag of Vietnam Veteran Steven Dorsey, of Callender, at the Vietnam War Memorial. Dorsey passed away in spring of 2015. A flag for Vietnam Veteran Robert Skelton, of Onawa, was also taken.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
World War II veteran Cyril Renze takes a picture at the Korean War memorial.
-Messenger photo by Joe Sutter
Well-wishers continued to wave and thank the veterans outside as they loaded onto three tour buses they would take to sites throughout Washington D.C.