On April 17, 2023 the Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight all-volunteer organization had the honor of welcoming 66 Veterans and their families to the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel in Tulsa in preparation for their free Honor Flight to see their war memorials in Washington DC the following day.
Each Veteran was greeted at the door with the room to their free hotel room, escorted to have their photo taken and received gift bags before meeting and joining their fellow Veterans for a lovely dinner.
From dinner they met up with their Volunteer Guardian who escorted them into the Welcome Ceremony in the Parade of Patriots. During Ceremony, they were serenaded by the Cushing High School Choir with a medley of patriotic songs and heard a fabulous speech from the keynote speaker, Retired United States Air National Guard two-star General Rita Aragon.
The following morning the Veterans, their Guardians and OWHF volunteers where escorted by the Tulsa Police Department to the Tulsa International Airport to board their chartered American Airlines flight to Washington DC. Once there the group visited the Marine Memorial, saw the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery, visited the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial Wall, the World War II Memorial and the Air Force Memorial before returning to the airport to fly back to Tulsa.
On the flight home, the Veterans were surprised with one last Mail Call where every single Veteran received a personalized care package containing letters and cards from their loved ones and area children from local schools thanking them for their service.
Once back in Tulsa, one last surprise awaited the Veterans - a HUGE Welcome Home Greeting from their family members, local supporters and a rousing rendition of patriotic songs played by the Owasso High School Marching Band.
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