Eight Cherokee Vietnam Vets and one WWII vet were honored for their service before the Cherokee Warrior Flight
Tulsa, Okla.-In late March, The Cherokee Nation's tenth Cherokee Warrior Flight departed for Washington, D.C., with eight veterans who served during the Vietnam War.
The Cherokee Nation funds the flight for Cherokee veterans to see the national war memorials erected in their honor at the nation's capital.
"This trip is one small way for us to say thank you to our Cherokee veterans. I'm proud to say that Cherokees serve in the U.S. military at greater rates per-capita than any other ethnicities," Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said. "The courage, commitment, accountability and integrity that these veterans showed through their service is something we could never fully pay back, but we will continue to honor them in ways that we can, and this trip is just one of those few ways."
A luncheon was held in Tulsa to present the warriors with vests and caps ahead of their flight to Washington, D.C.
"The Warrior Flight is such an unforgettable opportunity for our Cherokee veterans," Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said. "There are so many Cherokee men and women who so unselfishly served their country to make sure we have the freedoms that we enjoy every day, so I'm grateful that we are able to offer this trip to them."
During the four-day trip, Cherokee Warriors toured the World War II Memorial, Korean War Veteran's Memorial, Vietnam Wall Memorial, and a number of other sites.
William Adams Jr., of Lowry City, Missouri, served in the Army during the Vietnam War. He says, "It's an honor; I feel unworthy because so many paid the price, and I just feel very fortunate to be chosen," Adams said. "I'm proud to be Cherokee."
The Cherokee Warrior Flight is similar to the national honor flight organization's goal of helping veterans, willing and able, to see the memorials dedicated to honor their service.
"As a veteran myself, this trip is always important to me. This trip is not only a way for veterans to see the nation's capital and the war memorials erected in honor of them, but it's also a way to gain community with other veterans," Secretary of Veteran Affairs S. Joe Crittenden, a U.S. Navy veteran of the Vietnam War said. "I'm blessed to be in this position and go on these trips and experience it with fellow veterans every year."
The participating veterans gathered from their homes in Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arizona. All were veterans from Vietnam, and at the luncheon, they were also joined by a 98-year-old Cherokee who served in World War II but did not participate in the flight.
