Twenty-five Hawaii veterans came home from the state's first Honor Flight

Twenty-five veterans from Hawaii returned home after the state's first Honor Flight, Hawaii News Now reported. The group included veterans of the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Honor Flight Network gives veterans an all-expenses-paid trip to memorials in Washington, D.C. On this trip they visited war memorials, including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Vietnam veteran Stanley Salangdron went with his daughter, Kaulana, as his guardian. He said seeing the memorials was very touching, and he told other veterans who want that experience to look into Honor Flight. Kaulana said hearing the stories over the week was an honor, and that the veterans received a welcome they had not gotten the first time they came home. Salangdron said it was emotional to recall, with the others, what they went through in Vietnam. The flight covers 25 people. It does not reach every Hawaii veteran who is still waiting for a trip.