Central Valley honor flight veterans visit U.S. Capitol during Washington trip

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KFSN) -- A crisp but sunny April morning greeted veterans of the 34th Central Valley Honor Flight as they entered the World War II Memorial on the National Mall, drawing cheers of "Go Fresno," "That's right, welcome to Washington!" and "Thank you for your service, Sir!"

The visit was picture-perfect for the 69 veterans and guardians taking part in the Honor Flight.

Unlike earlier flights more than a decade ago that included many World War II veterans, this trip featured just one from that era: 100-year-old Norris Jernigan of Visalia.

"It's an awesome exhibit. It's really a great tribute to us. So many of us served in WW2... a great tribute to... you know what we did," Jernigan said. "We were just kids. We answered the call and I'm proud of what we did."

Jernigan served in the Army Air Corps as an intelligence clerk and is the only surviving member of the bomb squadron that supported the B-29 crew flying the Enola Gay, the aircraft that dropped the first atomic bomb over Japan.

"Well it represents a great mission that was pulled off in the very highest of secrecy and to be part of that is just awesome," he said.

The Enola Gay's permanent home is now the National Air and Space Museum near Dulles International Airport.

When the Honor Flight arrived there Tuesday, an Air Force general and a Space Force general greeted the veterans and presented Jernigan with commemorative gifts recognizing his service and his role in helping to change the course of the war.

Under the massive shadow of the Enola Gay, Honor Flight veterans gathered to listen as Jernigan shared his story, one that changed the world and continues to weigh on him decades later.

"It's true that it killed a lot of people and took a lot of lives," Jernigan said, "but it saved thousands, maybe millions more lives than it took because the next step was the invasion of the Japanese homeland scheduled for November 1."

The visit underscored both the historical significance of the aircraft and the lasting impact of the service performed by those who supported its mission, as fellow veterans looked on in respect and reflection.

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