HONOR FLIGHT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY... ♪ ♪ HELLO, I'M DAN CUMMINGS, WELCOMING TO OUR SPECIAL PROGRAM HONORING OUR VETERANS ON WCNY.

TWO MONTHS AGO, HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE FLEW ANOTHER 81 VETERANS TO WASHINGTON TO VISIT THE MEMORIALS BUILT TO HONOR THEIR SERVICE AND THEIR SACRIFICE.

WE'LL TAG ALONG ON THAT TRIP IN A FEW MINUTES.

FOR HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE, THIS WAS MISSION 23.

23 MISSIONS OVER THE LAST 13 YEARS.

TWO MISSIONS EACH YEAR.

INTERRUPTED ONLY BY THE THE PANDEMIC.

HOW DID THIS ALL GET STARTED HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK?

THERE WERE OTHER HONOR FLIGHTS TO WASHINGTON FROM OTHER CITIES, AND OTHER STATES, BUT NOT SYRACUSE.

NOT UNTIL TWO MEN PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER AND RECRUITED A LOT OF HELP.

AS YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE, THE ORIGIN STORY OF HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE STARTED WITH A SIMPLE QUESTION.

>> ACTUALLY MY SISTER LET ME KNOW.

ASKED IF I HAD HEARD OF HONOR FLIGHT.

I SAID NO, WHAT IS THAT?

SHE EXPLAINED WHAT IT WAS.

IT WOULD BE REALLY NEAT TO START SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN SYRACUSE.

♪ ♪ >> I THINK YOU OUGHT TO TAKE DAD.

AND I SAID THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

LET'S DO IT.

SO AT THAT POINT, ROCHESTER WAS THE HUB THAT WAS CLOSEST TO OUR HOME.

SO I PUT IN AN APPLICATION.

ONE OF HIS FRIENDS, GUY GEORGE, WHO HE SERVED WITH, PUT HIS APPLICATION IN.

SO THEY BOTH GOT PICKED.

I WAS THE GUARDIAN FOR THE TWO OF THEM.

SEEING THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN THEIR 80S, AND THEY ACTED LIKE TEENAGERS.

IT WAS LIKE THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH THIS MEANT TO THESE GUYS, TALKING TO THEM DURING THE DAY, SEEING THE EXCITEMENT AND EMOTION DURING THE DAY.

I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE REALLY NEAT TO START SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN SYRACUSE.

AND I MENTIONED IT TO THE PRESIDENT AT ROCHESTER.

VINCE HOPE, AT THE TIME.

AND HE SAID WHY DON'T YOU DO IT.

I SAID HOW?

AND HE SAID I'LL TELL YOU.

GO AND TALK TO THE VFW, THE AMERICAN LEGIONS, THE ROTARY CLUBS.

SO I STARTED DOING THAT.

AND LUCKILY, I THINK THE CAMILLUS LUNCHEON, JOHN PADDOCK WAS THERE AND HE CAME UP TO ME AFTERWARD AND SAID I LIKE YOUR IDEA.

COME TOUT MY OFFICE AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.

>> WE HAD THAT CAMILLUS ROTARY MEETING, WE GOT TOGETHER AFTERWARDS AND I REALIZED IT HAD A LOT OF POTENTIAL AND WE COULD DO SOMETHING WITH IT.

>> JOHN KNEW JUST WHO TO TALK TO THERE WERE PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY THAT REALLY JUMPED ON BOARD TO HELP TOM SEALY, LOCAL LAWYER DID THE PAPERWORK PRO BONO FOR US.

JOHN AND I, MEETING ANNE-MARIE BUERKLE, THE CONGRESSWOMAN AT THE TIME, AND EXPLAINING IT TO SHE AND HER IDA AIDE AND SHE FAST TRACKED THE 501(c)3 AND GOT US GOING.

ONE OF THE THINGS VINCE HOPE TOLD ME, MARK MY WORDS, IT IS GOING TO BE LIKE A SNOWBALL ROLLING DOWNHILL.

>> I CALLED THE PRESIDENT OF HONOR FLIGHT IN ROCHESTER AND HIS OPERATIONS OFFICER AND WENT UP THERE ON A SUNDAY ON THEIR TIME AND SPENT THE WHOLE DAY WITH THEM AND I LEARNED A LOT.

AND ON THE WAY BACK DOWN THE THRU-WAY, COMING BACK TO CENTRAL NEW YORK, I'M THINKING OH MY GOD.

>> WHAT AM I GETTING MYSELF INTO?

>> THERE IS A LOT TO BE DONE HERE IF WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS PROJECT OFF THE GROUND.

THE FIRST THING WAS TO INCORPORATE.

AND SO COULD BEES CONSEQUENTLY, I WENT TO THE AUXILLARY OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST IN SCAN AT LEWIS AND ASKED THEM HOO HIVE SKANEATELES AND ASKED THEM TO FUND THE 501(c)3 FOR ME.

I REALIZED THE NUMBER OF CRITICAL THINGS, THE MOST CRITICAL ONE TO ME WAS HAVING MEDICAL CARE OR NURSES TO GO ALONG ON THE FLIGHTS TO-- THESE WERE, OF COURSE, OUR TARGET WAS ALL THE WORLD WAR II VETERANS AT THE TIME.

THEY WERE ALL ADVANCED IN AGE.

DR.

SUSAN BASTABLE WHO WAS THE HEAD OF THE NURSING DEPARTMENT AT LeMOYNE, SHE AGREED TO RECRUIT THE NURSE CAN TEAM WE WOULD NEED.

IT WAS CRITICAL TO HAVE THAT.

>> I GOT A CALL FROM KATIE HATCH WHO WORKED AT SRC AND SAID I UNDERSTAND YOU ARE TRYING TO START AN HONOR FLIGHT.

I SAID YEAH, HOW DID YOU KNOW HAT?

SHE SAID WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH HONOR FLIGHT.

SRC HAS AN OFFICE DOWN IN THE VIRGINIA AREA.

AND WE ARE WONDERING WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

I SAID ACTUALLY WE NEED MONEY.

AND SHE SAID WELL LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.

SR CSTEPED UP, PAID FOR THE FUEL FOR OUR FIRST FLIGHT DOWN.

AMERICAN AIRLINES DONATED THE PLANE AND THE CREW.

IN OCTOBER OF 2012, WE TOOK 27 VETERANS, 27 GUARDIANS, NURSES,STAFF, ONE TRIP.

GOT THE BALL ROLLING.

>> WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT SEEING THESE LOCAL CENTRAL NEW YORK WORLD WAR II VETERANS EXPERIENCE THIS?

>> THE APPRECIATION THAT PEOPLE WERE GIVING THEM.

AND THEIR GRATITUDE FOR WHAT PEOPLE WERE DOING FOR THEM.

IT WAS HARD TO EXPLAIN.

BUT TO SEE HOW MUCH THAT MEANT TO THEM.

THESE GUYS WERE VERY UNASSUMING, VERY HUMBLE.

DIDN'T WANT ANY RECOGNITION.

DIDN'T FEEL THAT THEY NEEDED IT.

BUT WHEN THEY GOT IT, IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO SEE THE REACTION ON THEIR FACES.

>> FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE FIRST WELCOME HOME WAS A FLURRY OF ACTIVITY BECAUSE I WAS RUNNING AROUND WITH MY HAIR ON FIRE.

I MEAN WE HAD A VERY SMALL, RELATIVELY SMALL BY COMPARISON WITH TODAY, VOLUNTEER TEAM.

AND AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, I HAD ABOUT FIVE OR SIX THINGS TO DO.

NOW I LIKE TOE SAY THAT SOMEBODY TRIES TO GIVE ME SOMETHING TO DO AND THERE ARE SURELY 10 OR 15 PEOPLE WHO CAN DO IT BETTER THAN I CAN.

I THINK ANOTHER MEMORABLE PIECE OF THE MISSION 1 WAS THE FACT THAT WE DID IT.

AND THEN ONCE PEOPLE SAW WHAT IT WAS, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK BUT STILL QUITE FULLY APPRECIATE WHAT THEY WERE SIGNING UP FOR, WHAT THEY WERE GETTING INTO AND WHAT WE WERE GOING TO BE DOING, I THINK ONCE WE HAD MISSION ONE, THAT WAS THE PROGRAM JUST BLOSSOMED AFTER THAT.

>> WHAT DO YOU MOST REMEMBER AND WHAT WOULD THE ONE THING BE THAT WOULD YOU LIKE ALL OF US TO REMEMBER ABOUT THE VERY FIRST HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE?

>> A COUPLE OF THINGS ACTUALLY.

PROBABLY-- MOST OF ALL, THE WILLINGNESS OF ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS TO STEP UP AND HELP IN ANY WAY THEY COULD.

THE MILITARY OFFICE ROGUES OF AMERICA, MOAA WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF US RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING.

AMERICAN LEGION 239 IN SKANEATELES WAS VERY HELPFUL GETTING US STARTED.

WE WOULD GO TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND DIFFERENT PLACES AND EXPLAIN WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO AND ALL WE KEPT HEARING WAS WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP?

WE GOT TO DO THIS.

AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT JUMPED ON BOARD, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST.

I REMEMBER WHEN WE GOT BACK TO SYRACUSE, JOHN STAYED BACK HOME AND GOT THE WELCOME HOME READY.

THE PILOT FROM THE PLANE CAME OUT AND HE WAS OUR FIRST GUEST SPEAKER.

AND HE BROKE DOWN ON THE PODIUM, TO SEE HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO HIM AND ALL THE PEOPLE ON THAT PLANE.

I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT.

IT WAS GREAT.

>> OCTOBER OF 2012.

>> AND WHEN YOU THINK BACK ON TAKING THAT FLIGHT WITH YOUR DAD JUST A FEW YEARS EARLIER AND TO SEE WHAT HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE HAS BECOME TODAY.

WHAT DO YOU THIS I?

>> VERY PROUD.

VERY PROUD OF COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, THE PEOPLE WHO BACKED US FROM DAY ONE; DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.

EVERY MISSION THERE SEEMS TO BE SOMEONE ELSE THAT JUMPED ON BOARD AND HELPS US OUT.

>> I CAN JUST 3 LOOK BACK FONDLY AND REMEMBER HOW THE MANY LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY RESPONDED AT EVERY LEVEL, FROM EVERY ORGANIZATION AND SAID YES TO MY REQUEST TO SUPPORT THE FIRST HONOR FLIGHT MISSION.

IT BOARDERS ON THE MIRACULOUS BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT WAS VERY EASY FOR ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO RESIST-- TO RESIST OR SAY NO.

WE HAVE TO CONCLUDE THAT WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN A CENTRAL NEW YORK THAT HAVE SUCH A STRONG SUPPORT FOR OUR MILITARY VETERAN COMMUNITY, AND ALSO WERE WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK AT EVERY-- THERE WAS A MYRIAD OF RISKS THAT THESE PEOPLE TOOK WHEN THEY STEPPED IN TO HELP US OUT ON THIS THING.

>> WHAT KIND OF RISKS?

GIVE ME A SENSE OF WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT.

THEY'RE OWN RISKING WHAT?

>> HEAD OF THE AIRPORT.

CHRISTINA CALLAHAN AT THE TIME, THE AIRPORT WAS IN TRANSITION TO THE NEW REGIONAL BOARD.

AND TO COME IN AND SAY, AND HAVE A DISCUSSION, SAYING WELL HOW MANY PEOPLE IS IT GOING TO INVOLVE?

I'M NOT QUITE SURE.

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE AT THIS WELCOME HOME THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS?

AND THERE WERE, NOT TO MENTION THE HANDLING OF THE CROWD, FROM THEIR PARTICULAR PERSPECTIVE, THERE WAS CERTAIN RISKS AND UNCERTAINTY INVOLVED.

>> BUT COMMISSIONER CALIENDO HAN AND OTHERS TOOK A FLYER WITH YOU.

>> EVERYBODY DID.

I MET WITH OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOANIE MAHONEY, BILL FISHER WHO WAS HEADING UP THE AIRPORT BOARD BACK IN THOSE DAYS AND TALKED TO THE MAYOR OF SYRACUSE, AND EVERYBODY WAS WILLING TO ACCEPT MY ASSURANCES, MY ASSURANCES AND SAY YES.

>> VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY AND THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN 1942, SHE WENT DOWN AND ENLISTED AS A WOMAN MARINE RESERVE.

AND AN UNCLE WHO SERVED IN B-17 WAS HORRIBLY BURNED.

AND I BENEFITED FROM THE CONTACT WITH SUCH INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES, FRIENDS THAT INSPIRED ME TO A ROLE OF SERVICE AND TO CONSIDER THE MILITARY.

THIS DAY AND AGE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT CONTACT.

MANY OF THE FAMILIES HAVE-- YOU ARE HARD PRESSED TO THINK OF SOMEONE WHO MIGHT HAVE SERVED OR HAVE A CONNECTION WITH THE MILITARY.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE ROLE OF THE VETERAN IN THIS WHOLE THING; THEY FLY FOR THE COMMITMENT TO TELL THEIR STORY TO THEIR FAMILY, TO THEIR NEIGHBORS, TO THEIR YOUNGER GENERATION AND IN THEIR OWN WAY, BUT THEY'RE NOT PASSIVE PARTICIPANTS.

THEY ARE TO BE ACTIVE ADVOCATES FOR WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

>> JOHN PADDOCK AND RANDY FLAFF CO-FOUNDER OF HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE.

WE WANT TO THANK VIDEOGRAPHER ANDY ROBINSON FOR BRINGING US THAT ORIGIN STORY.

YOU HEARD ADMIRAL PADDOCK URGE VETERANS TO TELL THEIR STORY SO THE NEXT GENERATION WILL KNOW WHAT SERVICE AND SACRIFICE REALLY MEANS.

SOME VETERANS WILL DO THAT.

OTHERS MAY CHOOSE NOT TO.

HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE GIVES THEM AT LEAST THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON THEIR TIME IN UNIFORM IN THE COMPANY OF OTHER VETERANS.

LET'S JOIN MISSION 23 ON THE GROUND NOW IN OUR NATION'S CAPITOL.

>> WHERE DO YOU WANT ME TO START?

>> HE WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE BEFORE WE WENT IN THE SERVICE.

WE WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHER.

WE WERE BOTH IN TRACK.

58,000 MEN, STANLEY ROSS, LARRY AND MANY MORE, THAT WERE GOING TO LEAVE IN A FEW MONTHS AND NEVER MADE IT OUT OF THERE.

SO I JUST HOPE THAT THEY'RE NOT IN VAIN.

>> I CAME BACK AND I CAME BACK SHELLSHOCKED.

BECAUSE OF IT.

I'M SO GLAD THAT WHEN YOU SEE THE PEOPLE, MEN AND WOMEN THAT COME BACK NOW, THEY REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND THEY GET THEIR JUST DESSERTS.

>> WE WERE MARRIED WHEN I JOINED THE UNIT AS WELL.

WE HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS FROM THE UNIT AND IT WAS WONDERFUL TO HAVE THAT SHARED EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN THE MILITARY TOGETHER.

>> IF I COULD, I WOULD DO IT AGAIN.

>> THIS IS AMAZING TO ME.

YOUR HONOR FLIGHT GET TOGETHER IS-- I'M SO IMPRESSED.

WHAT I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH IS YOU KNOW WHEN WEIGH CAME BACK, THE GUYS FROM VIETNAM, WE DIDN'T GET TREATED THAT WELL.

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING?

YOU ARE GIVING US BACK A LITTLE BIT OF HOUR OF OUR HONOR.

THANK YOU.

>> ONE OF THE VETERANS WHO FLEW THE MISSION, VETO OWE LAV ECC HIO, JR.

A SYRACUSE NATIVE.

HE LIVES IN CICERO NOW AND JOINS US IN OUR STUDIO.

VETO OWE, GOOD TO HAVE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

WOO WE SAW YOU IN WASHINGTON, YOU SPOKE BRIEFLY ABOUT TWO GUYS WHO WERE VERY CLOSE TO YOU, AMONG MANY WHO DID NOT MAKE IT HOME.

YOU DID.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING AT THE WALL DURING HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE?

>> YOU HAVE A LOT OF, I WILL USE THE WORD REFLECTIONS.

I HAVE A POINTING PAINTING IN A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HOME AND IT'S NAMED REFLECTIONS WHERE IT SHOWS A GUY MY AGE, LEANING AGAINST THE WALL AND THE GUYS HE WAS WITH, DIDN'T MAKE IT HOME.

THEY WERE REFLECTING AND COMING THROUGH THAT WALL, THAT BEAUTIFUL BLACK WALL.

SO I THINK THAT THE REFLECTION IS GEE, I MISS THEIR COMPANY, BUT, BOY, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PEOPLE THAT GAVE, THE PEOPLE SAY TO ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

I GAVE, BUT THEY GAVE IT ALL.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THE HONOR FLIGHT.

THIS WASN'T THE FIRST TIME YOU HAD SEEN THE WALL.

BUT IN THE COMPANY OF OTHER VETERANS, TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE.

>> WELL, THE HONOR FLIGHT ITSELF WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

AND THE AMAZING PART WAS ONE OF THEM, MY FAMILY, MY WONDERFUL WIFE CHERYL AND MY KIDS AND I GOT TO SPEND A WHOLE DAY WITH MY SON AS MY GUARDIAN, AND FROM THE TIME YOU GOT UP TO 4:00 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 8:00 IN THE EVENING, THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING YOU NEEDED OR WANTED THAT THEY DIDN'T DO FOR YOU.

AND WHAT YOU GOT TO SEE, LIKE THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THINGS I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE, I REALLY HAVE TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

>> WELL, THE HONOR IS ALL OURS.

YOU KNOW THAT HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE THE RESPECT AND THE HONOR FOR MEN LIKE YOU WHO SERVED IN COMBAT IN UN FORM.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT THE LESSONS OF WAR FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, THOSE WHO MAY BE WATCHING THIS PROGRAM, WHO HAVE NEVER SERVED.

MAYBE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A DAD OR GRANDAD WHO SERVED LIKE YOU DID.

WHAT SHOULD WE TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND FROM THOSE YOU SERVED WITH?

>> WE SHOULD TAKE AWAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.

THE FACT THAT YOU ARE STILL LIVING IN THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE HERE ARE AMAZING.

BUT THE OTHER THING, TOO, DON'T TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED.

OKAY?

YOU HAVE TO EARN THESE THINGS.

YOU HAVE TO DO WHATEVER IT IS.

JUST LIKE WE DID AND YOU GAVE US BACK OUR RESPECT ON THE HONOR FLIGHT AND THOSE ARE PROBABLY TWO THINGS.

THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, YOU ONLY HAVE YOUR FAMILY LEFT AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

>> VETO VITO LAC ECC HIO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> WHEN HONOR FLIGHT RETURNS FROM A FULL DAY IN WASHINGTON, THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE FULL, THE TERMINAL AT HANCOCK AIRPORT 679 HUNDREDS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS ANDERS WHO WHO WELCOME THESE HEROES HOME AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE.

HERE IS WHAT THAT LOOKED AND SOUNDED LIKE FROM MISSION 23.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ DHEERG [ CHEERING ] ♪ ♪ [ APPLAUSE ] >> WELL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHAT A CROWD TO WELCOME HOME MISSION 23 OF HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE!

THIS IS THE WELCOME HOME THEY'VE ALWAYS DESERVED.

MARK MURDOCH IS A RETIRED U.S.

AIR FORCE MEDICAL OFFICER DEDICATING MORE THAN TWO DECADES IN UNIFORM, ASSURING THAT THOSE WHO SERVED WERE CARED FOR PROPERLY WITH DIG IF IT AND WITH EXCELLENCE.

AFTER HIS MILITARY CAREER, HE CONTINUED ON, THAT MISSION OF SERVICE BECAME A SENIOR HEALTHCARE POSITION.

HE WAS AN EXECUTIVE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND MOST RECENTLY SERVED AS THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE V.A.

HERE IN SYRACUSE.

HIS LEADERSHIP HAS TOUCHED COUNTLESS VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND HIS CAREER REFLECTS A LIFE LONG PASSION FOR ENSURING THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORE THE UNIFORM FOR US, TO KEEP US SAFE, TO KEEP US FREE, RECEIVE NOTHING LESS THAN THE UTMOST OF CARE, RESPECT AND GRATITUDE AS THEIR MEDICAL CARE PROCEEDS.

AND SO TODAY, AS WE CONCLUDE ANOTHER UNFORGETTABLE HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE, THIS ONE MISSION 23, WE WELCOME MARK NOT ONLY AS A LEADER AND AS A VETERAN, BUT AS A FRIEND WHO SHARES IN OUR DEEP PRIDE AND GRATITUDE FOR EVERY HERO WE CELEBRATE HERE TODAY THIS EVENING.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME MARK MURDOCH.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> DAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AS WE CLOSE THIS EXTRAORDINARY DAY, I WANT TO REFLECT ON WHAT WE SHARED TOGETHER.

TODAY WE WALK THE PATHS OF HISTORY IN WASHINGTON D.C., BUT THE TRUEST MONUMENTS ARE NOT CARVED IN STONE OR CAST IN BRONZE.

THEY'RE SEATED HERE AMONG US.

OUR VETERANS.

[ APPLAUSE ] YOU ARE THE LIVING LEGACY OF AMERICA'S COURAGE AND DEVOTION TO FREEDOM.

AS WE RETURN TONIGHT, LET US REMEMBER, THE MISSION OF HONOR FLIGHT DOESN'T END WHEN THE BUSES STOP AND THE PLANE LANDS.

IT CONTINUES IN HOW WE TELL YOUR STORIES.

HOW WE LIVE THE FREEDOMS YOU SECURED AND HOW WE TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION TO HONOR THE LEGACY OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED.

IN CLOSING, LET ME SAY THIS.

MY FAMILY'S SERVICE IS JUST ONE THREAD IN THE FABRIC OF AMERICAN SERVICE.

EACH OF YOU REPRESENTS COUNTLESS OTHERS, WOVEN TOGETHER INTO THE UNSHAKEABLE STRENGTH OF OUR NATION.

YOU ARE THE REASON THAT THE MONUMENTS STAND.

YOU ARE THE REASON AMERICA ENDURES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING KNEE SHARE THIS DAY WITH YOU.

AND THANK YOU, SYRACUSE, FOR STANDING SO FAITHFULLY WITH OUR VETERANS.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY AND THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.

I JUST WANT TO THANK A FEW PEOPLE.

FIRST OF ALL, JASON AND ALL THE AIRPORT STAFF.

I MEANY SLINGS THEY GAVE US THE KEYS TO THE AIRPORT TWICE A YEAR FOR AN ENTIRE WEEKEND, SO WE CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH.

BEHIND ME IS RETIRED REAR ADMIRAL JOHN PADDOCK, RANDY FLAFF.

THE ENTIRE REASON THAT HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE EXISTS BECAUSE OF THOSE TWO GUYS GETTING TOGETHER IN 2011 AND 2012 AND GETTING IT OFF THE GROUND SO WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.

KEVIN BRADLEY, RETIRED AIR FORCE MAJOR GENERAL, OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY TEAM, KIM, AND ALL OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY TEAM.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DID FOR THE TRIP.

PATTI, PATTI, BILL, SUZANNE, TAKING CARE OF EVERYTHING ON THE WEEKEND HERE AT THE AIRPORT.

ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS.

EVERYBODY YOU SEE HERE, THE SEA OF YELLOW AND BLUE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.

[ APPLAUSE ] GUARDIANS, AWESOME JOB.

YOU ALL LISTENED VERY WELL LAST NIGHT.

YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

EVERYBODY CAME BACK SAFELY AND I THINK ALL OF OUR VETERANS HAD A GREAT DAY SO YOU DID WELL.

THANK YOU.

[ APPLAUSE ] MARK MURDER-- MARK MURDOCK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WITH THAT, HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE MISSION 23, YOU ARE DISMISSED.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> THE SPIRIT OF A GRATEFUL COMMUNITY.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE, GO TO OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN HELP SIGN UP A VETERAN FOR A FUTURE FLIGHT.

TO VOLUNTEER OR DONATE, VETERANS PAY NOTHING FOR THESE TRIPS.

HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE RELIES ENTIRELY ON PRIVATE DONATIONS TO MAKE MAKE THE MISSIONS HAPPEN.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

AND FOR ALL THE VETERANS AND THOSE WHO ARE SERVING US NOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR NATION.