On a Friday morning in October, 35 World War II veterans gathered at Denver International Airport for an historic journey. There was a buzz of excitement among the veterans as they prepared to depart for Washington DC to tour the World War II Memorial. This was an important trip as it would be the first time they would see the memorial that was built in their honor.

All World War II veterans should have the opportunity to see their memorial; however, it is primarily inaccessible to many because of their age, health, financial status or other circumstances. The mission of Rocky Mountain Honor Flight is to give WWII Veterans in the Rocky Mountain Region the opportunity to visit the National WWII Memorial at no cost to them.

Veterans representing all branches of the armed forces left Denver on October 17, 2008, for an exciting tour of Washington DC. From the World War II and Vietnam Memorials to Arlington National Cemetery and the Iwo Jima Memorial, veterans shared three full days of history and stories. Upon their return to Denver, the veterans were greeted with a 'Welcome Home' celebration complete with color guard and a bagpipe.

"These veterans provided us with our freedom and it is important that every World War II veteran visits the memorial that honors them," said Jay McMaster, President of Rocky Mountain Honor Flight. "It is our intention to honor as many of these selfless 'ordinary people who saved the world' as we can by providing them a free trip to visit their memorial."

There are more than 30,000 World War II veterans living in Colorado, each with the desire to visit the Memorial. The next trip is scheduled for April 2009, and donations are desperately needed to make the trip a reality.

Rocky Mountain Honor Flight is a non-profit 501c(3) organization and all donations are tax deductable. The program operates on donations from individuals, businesses and corporations. For more information, to volunteer or to make a donation, visit www.rockyhonorflight.org or call (720) 290-3499.