Vietnam veterans from Nebraska were honored on Sunday night when they arrived back from Washington at the LNK airport with thousands waiting for their arrival. Four flights were coming back from Washington on Sunday, totaling over 650 veterans. The reason for these veterans taking this trip was to commemorate the ending of the Vietnam war, which ended on April 30, 1975. These veterans had spent the day touring memorials such as the Vietnam Wall, Lincoln Memorial, Korean Memorial and other monuments, spending their last moments before descending together shaking the governor’s hand and reuniting with their spouses before greeting the crowd.

Many veterans were happy to be back home, many appreciative of the love they received when they walked through the airport. The Waverly High School band was playing the Army song and then the Husker fight song as the massive crowds of people huddled in the airport hallways. Many people also came waving American flags and signs specially made for veterans.

The arrival last year in Omaha had an estimated 5000 people show up. This year, however, over 7000 people attended at the LNK airport, 7 times the airport’s average daily traffic. This awesome experience was a great way to show appreciation for our veterans and the great work they do for our country each and every day.