AUSTIN, Texas — It wasn’t a typical Friday along the main concourse at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, as bagpipers and drummers led a procession of Vietnam War veterans from Central Texas as they marched to their gate to board a jet that would take them to Washington D.C. for a two-day trip.

It marked the 100th journey to the nation’s capital sponsored by Honor Flight Austin. Their mission is to transport veterans to visit the memorials dedicated to honoring their service and sacrifices. But, according to Honor Flight Austin, it’s also more than a sightseeing trip.

Along the way, veterans are free to talk about their wartime experiences with other veterans, sometimes sharing painful memories that they had previously kept hidden.

“We’ve heard so many times from veterans who tell

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