David Miller and James Miller — brothers and both Army veterans, David in Vietnam and James in Korea — and John Backstrom, an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam, are headed to Washington D.C. today as part of a Buffalo-Niagara Honor Flight.

Honor Flights aim to take as many veterans as possible to Washington D.C. to see the memorials for the wars in which they were engaged.

A reception was held Friday morning at Warren Area High School as part of the sendoff.

Misty Weber, the Warren County School District’s Virtual Academy principal, said this weekend’s flight is part of a now five-year partnership between the school district and the honor flight organization. She noted that all three of these men are related and that James Miller is a retired school district teacher. She called it a “pleasure and honor to send these veterans.”

Times Observer photos by Josh Cotton Students from throughout the Warren County School District made cards for the veterans headed to Washington D.C. today.

The group will spend time at many of the memorials in Washington, D.C., and wrap up the day at Arlington National Cemetery to view the Changing of the Guard. That’s a solemn and emotional way to end the day for anyone, but the three veterans will be laying a wrench on that hallowed tomb.

“We are bestowing that honor on you tomorrow,” Tom Petrie, president of the Buffalo Niagara Honor Flight group, told them Friday morning. “(We are) so proud to take these heroes on this trip. (We) live in freedom because of the sacrifices you made.”

Petrie said there are a total of 130 people participating in this weekend’s trip including eight World War II veterans, 15 Korean War veterans and the remainder serving in Vietnam or during the Cold War.

He told the men that they will “relieve some memories that are good (and) some that are bad” but that it’s his hope that they “leave some of the bad memories behind.”

Saturday will be a full day for these veterans.

David Miller, one of three veterans headed to D.C. on an Honor Flight this weekend, gets his picture taken Friday as part of a reception held at Warren Area High School.

Buses will leave a hotel in Buffalo at 2:30 a.m. to catch a 5:40 a.m. flight to Baltimore. The group will return Sunday afternoon.

“It’s truly our honor to spend the day with you tomorrow,” he said. “The day tomorrow is all about the veterans.”

Gary Fry, past AMVETS national commander, told the students at Friday’s reception that these veterans weren’t much older than they are when they entered the service.

“They stepped forward and put on a uniform,” he said. “When you get there, you’ll be really glad you got up at 3 a.m. Have a good day.”

Schools throughout the district participated in Friday’s send off.

Students and staff at Warren Area High School lined the halls to send off John Backstrom, left, an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam that is participating in an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. this weekend.

Career Center students made cookies and helped handle traffic for Friday’s reception while cards for the veterans came in from multiple schools. The Youngsville High School sophomore class presented a plaque to each of the veterans and Warren Area High School Students spoke, sang and performed during Friday’s reception.