Eighty-five World War II veterans and Korean War veterans flew out of the Kansas City airport on Thursday to head to Washington D.C. for the Heartland Honor Flight.
The flight took off just before 6 a.m. and you could feel the patriotism. Veterans were smiling while they were checking in; wearing shirts that show what war they fought in.
Many of the veterans have never seen the National WW II Memorial or the Korean War Veterans Memorial and they expect it to be an emotional time.
They tell me that looking around they see their comrades - people who know what it means to be an American.
One Air Force veteran said he doesn't know why athletes would ever kneel during the national anthem, because many African Americans made significant contributions in the service.
"They ought to be proud to stand up for the Tuskegee Airmen. Because those were a great group of men. I do not understand Kaepernick doing that," said Don Wilson, Air Force veteran.
Army veteran Gene Deptuch said that growing up he looked up to three family members who were in the military.
"I was proud of the fact when they came home that they were able to serve our country. That's what we need today of people to be proud of what they are," said Deptuch.
Deptuch also said if people are not proud to live in America, they can go someplace else.
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Belinda Post can be reached at belinda.post@kshb.com.
