WWII veterans get warm reception at Sunport

  • Published
  • By Ryan Stark
  • Nucleus writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  A group of World War II veterans exiting a plane Friday at the Albuquerque International Sunport looked as though they just came from a regular vacation, even though their journey was anything but regular.

More than 200 people came to welcome 24 veterans back home after their trip to Washington D.C. The trip was courtesy of the nonprofit organization Honor Flights of Northern New Mexico.

The trip, the second of its kind arranged by Honor Flights, took the group of veterans on a tour the World War II Memorial, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, among other sites. The three-day journey included two travel days and one day in Washington.

Rudy Martinez of Denver was among the returning veterans, having served in the 111th Airborne of the U.S. Army.

He said the trip gave the veterans the opportunity to open up about their war experiences with their peers. "At the banquet last night, the combat veterans started talking," he said. "Some of them went through hell. They unloaded."

As for the trip overall, Martinez said he and his wife had a great time.

"It was so unexpected," he said. "It was overwhelming." Sherri Trujillo Hall, the board president for Honor Flights of Northern New Mexico, said the tour was a little daunting for veterans of advanced age. The oldest vet who made the journey is 96, she said.

"But they persevered," she said. "Everyone had a spectacular time and enjoyed the trip. For a lot of them, this trip was on their bucket list and was the trip of a lifetime."

The first big thrill for veterans happened before they even boarded a plane, Trujillo Hall said, when the group was escorted to the airport by Albuquerque Police Department officers in a motorcade.

"They weren't expecting that," she said.

Many current service members joined those at the airport, including New Mexico Air National Guard Master Sgt. Robert Grande.

"We have to do our best to show respect to those who came before us," he said. "Some folks got a less-than-generous welcome home, so it's good to do my part to correct that legacy."

Plans are in the works for another trip next summer, according to Trujillo Hall. The first step is a fundraising golf tournament on Oct. 16 at the Isleta Eagle Golf Course, she said.

For information on how World War II veterans can apply for an Honor Flights trip, information on volunteering as a guardian or volunteer committee member or how to donate, go to williamsonfoundation.org.