LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A group of veterans from Kentucky and Indiana landed back in Louisville Tuesday night after spending the day in Washington, D.C.
Honor Flight Bluegrass left the city Tuesday morning. The veterans, their guardians, and dozens of volunteers, made several stops in the capitol, including the World War II memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Korean Veterans Memorial.
The flight included five World War II veterans, the oldest being 100 years old. There were also 15 Korean War veterans and 64 Vietnam War veterans on the flight.
Richard Kolodey is one of the World War II veterans. At 98 years old, Kolodey's life looks a little different than it did 80 years ago.
"I've had the radio shot out in front of me by a Jap-0 (a long-range carrier-based fighter aircraft) one time ... I was just lucky I didn't get hit," he said.
Kolodey drove himself from Slaughters, Kentucky, to Louisville to join Honor Flight Bluegrass.
"It's going to be an honor, a real honor," he said.
Honor Flight Bluegrass landed at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport after 9:30 p.m. Tuesday to people lined up welcoming them home.
The Honor Flight Network is comprised of more than 130 chapters across the United States and has flown well over 200,000 veterans since 2004. The Louisville chapter has flown more than 2,400 veterans in the last 12 years.
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- Honor Flight Bluegrass honors World War II veterans on 81st anniversary of Pearl Harbor
- Louisville Korean War veteran remembers life behind the front lines as Army mechanic
- Louisville-area World War II veteran reflects on life of service, adventure
- Mission Complete | Honor Flight Bluegrass celebrates 82 Kentuckiana veterans service with trip to D.C.
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