COLUMBIA, S.C. — A group of Black South Carolina Vietnam veterans took off Friday on a pilgrimage to to remember and honor those who gave their lives in defense of this country.
The South Carolina Combat Veterans Association are traveling to the National Mall in Washington D.C. this weekend. They'll visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as well as other monuments in the nation's capitol.
Friday, they took off on a chartered plane from Eagle Aviation at Columbia Metropolitan Airport for D.C.
The group of veterans has been taking trips to Washington, D.C. for over 20 years, but organizers say this year they decided to use a plane because of the declining health of the men.
"This could possibly be the last trip for these men because of their age, because of the sicknesses that they have," explains Dr. Vernecia Stafford, an organizer of the trip. "Some of the men have cancer, some of them have terminal illnesses.
A few of the men haven't flown since returning from the war. But they know it's something that's important to them.
"This is a catharsis, this is a healing process, this is therapeutic for them," Stafford said. "They may break down and cry, they may fall apart but we're hoping that they could leave that at the wall this time."
The men got a police escort from the Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia to the airport. Once there, they had a pre-flight dinner.
The men are expected to spend Saturday in the capital before returning home Sunday.