Giving WWII vets a ‘final mission’

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Kushner, who said he did not know what to expect, was amazed. “There’s double rows of military servicemen,” he said. “They honor you more than you’ve ever been honored in your entire life as a veteran.”

The veterans take a bus to the World War II Memorial. Depending on time, Rosenking said, they may also visit the Marine Corps War Memorial — a sculpture depicting the raising of the second flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima — the U.S. Air Force Memorial, and Arlington National Cemetery.

Kushner said he recalled seeing the iconic photographs of the Iwo Jima flag-raising in newspapers when he was young. The monument, he said, brought back a rush of memories. “Seeing the duplication of that event in the bronze statue,” he said, “was something I never thought I’d see in my life.”

After being treated to dinner, the veterans are bused back to Baltimore and flown home, where another crowd is waiting to welcome them back from their near-14-hour day. Asked if he would encourage other veterans to participate in Honor Flight, Kushner said, “I would say, drop whatever you’re doing and sign up for it.”

With a laugh, he added, “I’ll tell you the truth … I would like to go again.”

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