ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Dozens of veterans were treated Tuesday to a day trip to our nation's capital, courtesy of Honor Flight of West Central Florida and the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE).
Early Tuesday, 77 veterans arrived at PIE and boarded an Allegiant charter flight for a day-long visit to Washington, D.C., according to a release. They visited the district's war memorials. After their day in Washington, the veterans safely returned to the St. Petersburg area on Tuesday night.
The veterans were greeted with a welcome home celebration, an event that was open to the public. It also gave the community an opportunity to honor these military veterans.
Honor Flight of West Central Florida President Tracy Luchtenberg said the following: “Honor Flight of West Central Florida kicks off its 2023 season with Mission 47 on Tuesday, September 12th, 2023. We are honored to transport our heroes at no charge to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect on their memorials. We appreciate the partnership with Allegiant for the safe transportation of our treasured Veterans. A special thank you to the staff at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport for your graciousness in making the Welcome Home a wonderful celebration."
Airport Director Tom Jewsbury continued in a statement: "We are pleased to host the Honor Flights at PIE, so our community can come to honor our Veterans."