West Central Florida Honor Flight marks milestone with 4,000th veteran

WASHINGTON, D.C. - More than 70 Bay Area military veterans traveled to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to visit war memorials during a milestone Honor Flight. 

Honor Flight reaches major milestone

What we know:

West Central Florida Honor Flight Mission 58 carried 75 veterans from the Tampa Bay area to the nation's capital. 

The journey brought the organization's 4,000th veteran to see the war memorials built in their honor.

Many of those on board were Vietnam War veterans seeking closure and acceptance. 

Veterans said they felt immense gratitude, a sense of belonging, and the opportunity to honor fallen comrades.

Veterans remembering fallen comrades

What they're saying:

Vietnam veteran Freddie Smith reflected on the loss of close friends during his service. 

"Jimmy Lee Jones is my cousin and Donald Vernon was my classmate. A good friend," Smith said. "When he was killed, my mom said she cried all day because I was in the country at the time. Every time she would go past their house she would cry because she was concerned about me."

Smith recalled reading about his friend's death in the Stars and Stripes newspaper while serving. 

"To be here and understanding the sacrifice they made when we were young, but we did it willingly. Not really understanding the full story," Smith said. "We were ordered there and we followed orders. We were soldiers and a soldier follows orders."

Smith added that the trip was "quite emotional and brings back a lot of memories." 

Warm welcome home ceremony

Local perspective:

More than 1,000 people gathered for a welcome home ceremony as the flight returned. 

The crowd was decked out in red, white, and blue while waving American flags, cheering, and hugging the returning veterans.