Letter of the Week: Honor Flight is a gratifying experience

Recently I was selected to participate in the Honor Flight of Kansas City with more than 35 other military veterans. We flew to Washington, D.C., for a one-day journey to visit military monuments and other historic sites.

This was a wonderful experience. As a 23-year Marine Corps combat veteran, I found it especially meaningful to receive so many handshakes, hugs of gratitude and sincere thank yous from hundreds of adults and children.

I know I speak for all the veterans when I say “Thank you” for all the recognition and attention shown to us.

This is a wonderful program, staffed by attentive volunteers who never left our side. They were very kind and dedicated and did a magnificent job.

This old Marine salutes you and offers a hearty well-done for all you do to support this program as well as to all the donors who make it possible.

Chuck Hitchborn, 84, of Smithville, Mo., is a 1947 graduate of Central High School. He joined the Marines in 1948 and later the reserves before working at the General Motors Leeds plant and Ford Claycomo plant. He has a son, daughter, five grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

This story was originally published July 12, 2015 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Letter of the Week: Honor Flight is a gratifying experience."