SAN DIEGO – Honor Flight San Diego has been taking World War II veterans to the memorials in Washington D.C. for years now.

Thanks to a joint effort with the Knights of Columbus, many are heading home with a brand new wheelchair.

“It could be some of these veterans last trip ever on a plane, it’s very special, the urgency is there,” Holly Schaffner adds.

Being able to see the World War II and other memorials in our nation’s capitol, it’s touching.

“I don’t tear up very easy…that did it,” Harry Dickinson adds, retired from USMC.

Colonel Harry Dickinson served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

“I was just really overwhelmed by that, which was a sobering affair, not looking at one statue; you’re looking at a whole patrol, what it was,” Dickinson adds.

Colonel Dickinson sits in his yellow wheelchair like many of these other veterans that are coming home. These wheelchairs were given to the veterans free of charge, by the Knights of Columbus, under their American wheelchair mission program.

“We raised $560,000. The most of any state jurisdiction of any Knights of Columbus order for a wheelchair program,” Ed Huestis said.

“It certainly helped out a lot, very much so,” Dickinson adds.

“California is leading this program to take care of the veterans that are here in California,” Lawrence Capetiello said.

The wheelchairs are provided to these veterans, no questions asked. They’re providing much relief since going through the VA isn’t that easy.

“You can certainly get a wheelchair through the VA, but they certainly have to go through a lot of red tape,” Capetiello said.

As World War II veteran, Betty Gilby, sat in her new wheelchair, she told the story of being a woman service member in the 1940’s.

“It was very difficult,” Gilby said.

Betty worked in the kitchen of a military hospital.

“Not to do anything for the cooks, the first thing I did was to teach them that are not true,” Gilby said.

It’s a trailblazer for women of today in the military.

“Keep at it…does not give up,” Gilby adds.

“Battle of the Bulge, something I’ll never forget,” Matthew Ford Jr., adds.

Matthew Ford Jr., another wheelchair recipient, reflected on his days on Omaha beach and at the Battle of the Bulge.

“I almost have tears in my eyes,” Ford adds.

Honor, respect and care of our greatest generation, it’s about never forgetting what they have done for us.

“Thank you to the veterans, who have served our country, gave their lives and saved our nation. Veterans thank you so much for all of your service,” Sonny Santa-Inez adds.