Honor Flight Pittsburgh took about 75 military veterans to Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Oct. 8, to visit monuments dedicated to service members. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Two busloads of area military veterans from Victory Family Church in Cranberry Township were thanked many times for their service while visiting memorial sites in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Oct. 8. The biggest thank you, however, would be found at the end of their journey.

Hundreds of people welcomed them home from their trip with Honor Flight Pittsburgh at around 11 p.m. Saturday when they arrived at the church.

Joe Dressel, a World War 2 veteran from Mount Lebanon, said the entire day was a joy.

"We got there in the morning and they gave us breakfast, and from there everything was so well planned," Dressel said. "I couldn't have asked for a better experience."

Honor Flight is a national organization which Ron Schall, a member of the Honor Flight Pittsburgh board of directors, said aims to thank military personnel for their service, which is mainly accomplished by taking them on trips to D.C.

The veterans are honored for their service while visiting monuments at the Capitol commemorating their sacrifice during World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War, Schall said, before returning home to a surprise.

“They had people greeting them all day long,” Schall said. “When they got off the Turnpike, they were met by police and they escorted them to the church. As they pulled up we had multiple fire companies with flags, and inside there was over 100 people waving flags. They had a red carpet down and a bagpipe player who escorted them from the buses.”

Jim Lucot, a teacher at Seneca Valley high school, brought more than 60 students to welcome the veterans home. He said the opportunity is a good lesson to students, and sometimes a good chance for them to hear about historic wars from the ones who lived them.

"It is powerful to be there," Lucot said. "My students always make signs and write letters to the veterans so they can be part of their welcome."

Dressel said the letters were one of his favorite parts of the entire trip.

"My daughter got letters from everyone in the neighborhood and gave them to me," he said. "They must have had a whole room full of letters it was unbelievable."

The veterans are accompanied on the trips by “guardians,” who lead and aid them throughout the day at the Capitol, and some photographers, according to Schall.

Honor Flight is constantly raising money to fund these trips, and Schall said there are many ways for people in cities across the nation to get involved with the organization.

“It costs $10,000 per bus each time we go, so we are always raising money,” Schall said. “Some of the supporters are the family of veterans. A lot are just local community people.”

The “mission trip” from Honor Flight Pittsburgh takes place twice a year, once in April and once in October. Schall said surprises like the welcome home Saturday help to make them even more special to the veterans who take part in the day.

“Our goal is to make these veterans know and understand we are a grateful nation for their service,” Schall said. “We saw a lot of tears on the red carpet yesterday.”

For information on Honor Flight Pittsburgh, visit honorflightpittsburgh.org.

Hundreds of people went to the Victory Family Church in Cranberry Township on Saturday, Oct. 8, to welcome home veterans who traveled to Washington, D.C., with Honor Flight Pittsburgh. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Veterans who took the trip to Washington, D.C., with Honor Flight Pittsburgh on Saturday, Oct. 8, receive a welcome home from community members that night at Victory Family Church in Cranberry Township. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Ken Rozycki, a Vietnam veteran, opens a thank you letter delivered by Honor Flight Pittsburgh while on a trip to Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Oct. 8,. SUBMITTED PHOTO1

A veteran on the Honor Flight Pittsburgh trip to Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Oct. 8, makes a rubbing of a name from the wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. SUBMITTED PHOTO