More than 60 years after World War II, Fresno resident Homer Acosta still remembers his days as a U.S. Coast Guardsman.
"Even after the war was over we had to bring the boys home so I went to Spain and Italy to bring the boys home," Acosta said.
Veteran Bill Bromm, 89, still remembers the day he was given a bag and gun, right before he jumped into a war zone.
"We walked 15-20 miles a day from fox hole to fox hole," Bromm said.
On The Central Valley Honor Flight, Acosta, Bromm and more than 70 other Valley World War II veterans will take off on the trip of a lifetime. The free trip will take the veterans and volunteers to Washington D.C. to see the memorials. Bromm says he is counting down the days until Tuesday. The trip is even more meaningful to him because he never got a homecoming.
"I was a year late, they didn't even see me passing by," Bromm said.
This time around volunteers hope the veterans get a warm sendoff and a true hero's homecoming.
"They really gave up a lot for us and I just appreciate that and appreciate the freedom that we have because of them," Honor Flight Volunteer Joy Neal said.
Organizers hope the honor flight week for the Central Valley will pay a small tribute to those who gave so much. The entire community is invited to come out and send-off the veterans Tuesday morning at 5:15 p.m. at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.
The community is also invited to give the veterans a hero's homecoming Thursday Oct. 31 at 4:15 p.m.
