Honoring those who have protected our freedoms, former President Obama surprises a plane full of veterans departing from Washington, D.C.
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The former world leader spoke with veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War as they were boarding the aircraft.
“Hello everybody,” Obama declared, which caused the passengers to react loudly. “As we approached Veteran’s Day, I wanted to stop by and just say thank you for your extraordinary service to you, your family, the sacrifices that all you made to protect our country is something that will always be honored.”
He further shared, “And, we are very grateful, and we also happen to welcome you with a 70-degree day in D.C., which doesn’t always happen around here.”
As part of the Honor Flight Network initiative, the veterans onboard the plane were given a tour of monuments in Washington, D.C. that honored the periods in which they served the U.S. military. All of which was free for the veterans.
Captain Mary Quigley, a retired U.S. Naval officer who led the tour, spoke out about President Obama’s visit with veterans.
“That’s the first time I’ve seen a president, former or current, greet an honor flight, and that is absolutely amazing,” he said. “Commander-In-Chief, a leader who’s going to show up and tell you that your service was worth something. I think that’s the important part, so I think it was a great thing.”
President Obama also shook hands with the veterans as they left the aircraft and presented them with a Presidential Challenge Coin, a token of his personal gratitude for their sacrifices.
President Trump Announces New Name For Veterans Day
Meanwhile, President Trump announced he plans to rename Veterans Day.
While speaking at a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Trump stated, “As you know today is not only Veterans Day, but it’s my proclamation that we are now going to be saying and calling Victory Day for World War I.”
He then said he had recently been at an event and had seen European countries celebrating Victory Day. However, the U.S. doesn’t celebrate such a day.
“I saw France was celebrating another Victory Day for World War II, and other countries were celebrating,” Trump explained. “They were all celebrating. We’re the one that won the wars. I watched it.”
He then said, “I watched U.K. I watched Russia. They were celebrating Victory Day World War II, and I said ‘we got to have a Victory Day.’ Nobody even talked about it in our country.”
After sharing other examples of victory days celebrated in European countries, President Trump declared, “From now on we’re going to be celebrating Victory Day for World War I, for World War II and frankly for everything else.”
Trump’s Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) will now be on May 8. It marks the end of World War II in Europe when Nazi Germany surrendered. President Trump previously announced the name earlier this year.
“I am hereby renaming May 8th as Victory Day for World War II and November 11th as Victory Day for World War I,” he wrote. “We won both Wars, nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance, but we never celebrate anything.”