Rear Adm. Richard T. Gromlich, commander of Coast Guard 13th District, shakes hands with Warren Walker, an Army veteran from World War II, during a Puget Sound Honor Flight welcome home celebration at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, May 11, 2015.
Puget Sound Honor Flight serves as a local Western Washington hub for the Honor Flight Network, transporting veterans to visit memorials of the respective wars they fought in, at no cost.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd class Amanda Norcross.
Chief Petty Officer Jake Rollins and Master Chief Petty Officer David Kressley, from naval engineering at Coast Guard Base Seattle, greet Robert Parker, an Army veteran from World War II, during a Puget Sound Honor Flight welcome home celebration at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, May 11, 2015.
Puget Sound Honor Flight is one of 138 Honor Flight hubs situated across the country.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd class Amanda Norcross.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Doug Curry, a boatswain's mate with Aids to Navigation Team Puget Sound at Coast Guard Base Seattle, and Master Chief Petty Officer David Kressley, from naval engineering at Base Seattle, line the route for Honor Flight veterans at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, May 11, 2015.
Active duty service members greeted veterans as they disembarked their return flight, with a single service member stepping out of formation to salute each veteran and escort them to the welcome home celebrations held in the airport atrium.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd class Amanda Norcross.
Service members from various branches line the stair railing during welcome home celebrations for a group of returning Puget Sound Honor Flight veterans at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, May 11, 2015.
The celebration honored 56 World War II veterans on their return from a trip to visit the various memorials erected in their honor.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd class Amanda Norcross.
Master Chief Petty Officer David Kressley, from naval engineering at Base Seattle, stays behind after a Puget Sound Honor Flight welcome home celebration wrap up, to chat with Howard Barkley, a Coast Guard veteran from World War II, at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, May 11, 2015.
Coast Guard personnel provided support in World War II nationally and globally, from sinking 14 submarines, capturing two surface vessels and participating in rescue operations, to patrolling United States shores and providing convoy escorts.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd class Amanda Norcross.
Petty Officer 1st Class Jerome Chen, a marine science technician with the incident management division at Sector Puget Sound in Seattle, participates in a practice formation, before greeting Puget Sound Honor Flight veterans as they disembark from their return flight at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, May 11, 2015.
Chen later escorted Earl McPeak, an Army veteran from World War II, from his returning flight to welcome home celebrations held in the airport atrium.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd class Amanda Norcross.