Leading up to Memorial Day weekend, 98 veterans took off for the Quad Cities' 36th Honor Flight to visit war memorials in Washington D.C. and pay respect to their fallen comrades.
At every stop they made, the three veterans of World War Two, 23 of Korea, and 72 from Vietnam were greeted with applause, hand shakes and salutes from strangers thanking them for their service.
Howard Koch served in the 101st airborne division in Vietnam.
"I've been to the wall about six times and every time I go, I see somebody else that I know," Koch says. "When I was in Vietnam I was on a firebase and we got overrun. And half the guys I served with is over there on that wall, so it's definitely an emotional trip."
The veterans visited memorials for the three wars they served in, along with the women's war memorial and Arlington Cemetery to watch the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.