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Another local group will get the opportunity in October, thanks to Sanilac County Veterans Affairs.

The aging veterans boarded a bus in Marlette Saturday at 1:30 a.m., picked up another 20 veterans in Royal Oak, arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport around 5:15 a.m., departed for Baltimore, Maryland at 6:45 a.m., hopped a motor coach to Washington D.C. at 8:15 a.m., picked up wheelchairs and bottled water, and arrived at the W.W. II Memorial at 9:15.

When they returned to Marlette around 9:30 that night, a crowd of about 75 people greeted them with balloons and flags and sang "God Bless America.

"It was probably a per-fect experience," said Rudy Bolf, pharmacist at Mainstreet Pharmacy who spearheaded the local effort to raise money to pay for Saturday's trip through Honor Flight Michigan Inc. The trip was free of charge for the vets.

"It was unbelievable," said Bolf. "They were treated like kings. They'll remember this for ever. For a group of guys 80 to 90 years-old, it was a long day, a tiring day, but a very rewarding day."

The veterans received VIP treatment at the airports. There was a separate screening by security so they didn't have to wait in long lines, pre-boarding of the aircraft, and announcements on the plane about the contingent of vets onboard.

As they walked through the airports, "People would stop and congratulate them and shake their hands," said Bolf.

At Arlington Cemetery, John Cook of Marlette, 86, had the honor of laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

"It was wonderful," said the 86-year-old Cook. "It couldn't have been better...They treated us like heroes all the time."

U.S. Senator Bob Dole, a second world war veteran and a major promoter of the memorial, was at the memorial and mingled and talked with the old soldiers.

Jim Elliott, 80, of Marlette, said the trip "was quite an honor" and the memorial was "beautiful...63 to 65 years (after the war) it was well worth it. I'd go again."

Bolf decided to organize the trip after hearing about the project on the radio.

"I heard about it on (Detroit radio station) WJR," said Bolf. "My dad was a WW II vet. These are the people who changed the face of the earth."

Honor Flight is based in Royal Oak and was started by a West Bloomfield couple who saw a news report about a man who took WW II veterans to see their memorial. The group provides an all expenses paid one- day trip. The youngest WW II vets are almost 80 years old and the memorial didn't open until 2004.

"I've been involved in a lot of activities in the last six years, and this promoted itself," said Rolf.

He was able to reserve 20 seats on the bus that was leaving Royal Oak for Metro Airport early Saturday morning. He was able to raise enough money to pay for the trips and cover all the expenses, plus an extra $1,800 to allow others to go

"The biggest challenge was to try and identify them (the veterans). We are in the corner of multiple counties. We put things in the papers, contacted VFWs and Amercan Legions," Bolf said.

"A lot of people couldn't go for health reasons," he added.

Bolf said the whole trip costs $200 per person. It includes a bus trip to Royal Oak and the airport, the flight, all the food, a disposable camera, wheel chairs, bottled water, and T-shirts. Several guardians went along to help the veterans.

County Veterans Affairs Director Tina Roff said she is working with Pride & Honor Inc. out of Ypsilanti, which also provides free flights to the memorial for WW II veterans.

Pride & Honor has allotted Sanilac County 10 of the 55 slots for Oct. 13.

"The Ann Arbor area has another plane for April. This is the second or third one this year," Roff stated.

Veterans Affairs may charter a bus for the veterans to the airport or send two vans, depending upon the numbers.

Both organizations accept donations from anyone except WW II veterans.

Send donations to:

Pride & Honor Flights of Michigan at 4302 Cornwell Lane, Whitmore Lake, MI 48189; Honor Flights Michigan Inc., at P.O. Box 237, Royal Oak, MI 48068-9998; or Veterans Affairs at 171 Dawson St., Sandusky, MI 48471.