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WILLIAMSTOWN - World War II veterans from the Mid-Ohio Valley left the regional airport early Tuesday morning on a flight to Washington, D.C., to honor their service and sacrifices made to keep America free.

Veterans boarded a chartered Boeing 737 for a free day trip to visit the WWII Memorial and other sites in the nation's capital. The flight was chartered by the Honor Flight Network based in Dayton, an organization dedicated to ensuring veterans from that era will see the memorial honoring the "Greatest Generation."

Some walked into the terminal on their own, others used a cane, some were in wheelchairs and some were escorted by their children, grandchildren or family friends. Everyone was eager to make the trip.

"I want to see the World War II Memorial," said Jess Kiger, a 99th Infantry Army veteran from Paden City.

Colin Boig, a Navy veteran from Sistersville, said he also wanted to go to see the memorial.

"I have heard so much about it and it is for World War II veterans," he said. "That is what I am. I got an invite to go so I am going."

Many were glad to be making the trip with fellow veterans.

"It is better to do it like this with a lot of these old veterans," Kiger said.

Boig was surprised by the number going.

"This is something," he said. "I didn't realize that there would be so many.

"I was under the impression that there was only going to be 30. I see now that there is more than that."

Many younger people who came with relatives walked around the terminal and personally thanked many of the veterans for their service to this country.

Sixty-two veterans made the flight along with 58 guardians, said Bill Nicklas, vice president of the Dayton Honor Flight Hub and coordinator for Tuesday's flight.

"The flight is full," he said. "We are really pleased with the great turnout we have had in Parkersburg."

Not everyone who wanted to go could because of space limitations, he said.

"We are going to have to make some other arrangements," Nicklas said of possibly having another flight locally or being able to transport people to another flight within the region.

"We need to do what we can for the veterans," he said. "It has been so long, over 60 years, for these guys to have gotten a memorial. It is getting urgent for us to get them there to see it."

Tuesday's flight was a trial run for a flight out of airport the size of the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport.

"It is a little more confusing because of that," Nicklas said. "This is the first time we have used an air charter in this capacity. It is a learning process for us. It has gone pretty smooth."

The guardians, usually family of the veterans or volunteers, all had to pay to make the trip so the veterans could go free.

"There has been a great turnout for that as well," Nicklas said.

When the veterans return to the airport in the evening, they could expect to see an honor guard and possibly a band.

Time is going by quickly for many World War II veterans to be able to make the trip and see the monument as many have never gotten the chance to see it.

"I was hoping to get there before I croaked," said John Wright, a Navy veteran from Sistersville. "This is a great opportunity. It is great to see this number of old fellas still alive and going strong."

Junior R. Linch of Vienna, an Army veteran, said it was good to make the trip with the people going.

"It is nice to go with a crowd like this and see it together," he said.

Ed Amos, a U.S. Marine veteran from Sistersville, said he was happy there were so many able to make the trip.

"It is great to see all of these people who are still able to get around, go and be with us," he said.