Former President Barack Obama surprised dozens of veterans arriving in Washington, D.C., ahead of Veterans Day by boarding an Honor Flight aircraft.
Obama greeted the veterans as they deplaned the Honor Flight to begin their tour of the nation's capital.
"As we approach Veterans Day, I wanted to stop by and just say thank you for your extraordinary service. To you, your family, the sacrifices that all of you made to protect our country is something that will always be honored and we are very grateful," he said. "We also happen to welcome you with a 70-degree day in D.C., which doesn't always happen around here."
Honor Flights provides free travel to D.C. for veterans of World War II and the wars in Korea and Vietnam.
"One of the honors of serving as President is having the 'Presidential Challenge Coin' — a memento that I have handed out as President and in the years since to the folks I meet who have served our country or their communities," Obama wrote. "I was grateful to be able to greet veterans who served in Korea and Vietnam as they arrived in DC this weekend, and give them a personal token of my gratitude."
