Overview
- The Badger Honor Flight from Madison touched down Saturday at Reagan National, where Barack Obama boarded and thanked the group over the plane’s intercom.
- He then greeted veterans one by one as they disembarked and presented presidential challenge coins, as shown in video he posted on social media.
- Honor Flight and bystanders described an emotional welcome in the terminal, with veterans recalling tears and applause from a large crowd.
- Reports differ on the flight’s size, with outlets citing 79, 87, or 88 participants, while the organization publicly acknowledged the surprise greeting.
- Volunteers noted it was the first time they had seen a president greet an Honor Flight, underscoring the program’s two-decade mission serving 300,000-plus veterans.