Obama surprises veterans on flight to DC with special Veterans Day salute

(WASHINGTON) — President Barack Obama gave a group of war heroes a surprise they will never forget.

The former president surprised a flight of Korean and Vietnam War veterans on an honor flight from Madison, Wisconsin, to Washington, D.C., ahead of Veterans Day, according to a video he posted on X.

“Ahead of Veterans Day, I was honored to welcome a flight of veterans and their families as they arrived in DC. To all those who bravely served our country, thank you to you and your family for your extraordinary service. The sacrifices that all of you have made to protect our country will be honored, today and every day,” Obama posted alongside the video on X. 

Obama came aboard the flight and shared a special message on the intercom of the plane for the veterans.

“Hello, everybody. 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,” Obama can be seen telling the veterans upon touchdown in D.C. in the video.

The veterans were flying to D.C. on behalf of the Honor Flight Network, a nonprofit that provides flights to veterans and their families to visit monuments in the nation’s capital.

“Participation in an Honor Flight trip gives veterans the opportunity to share this momentous occasion with other comrades, remember the fallen, and share their stories and experiences with other veterans. Honored veterans always travel free of charge, thanks to generous donations to our organization,” their website reads.

The nonprofit has flown over 300,000 veterans to D.C. in the past 20 years, according to their website.

Obama also took to his Medium account to reflect on meeting the veterans and thank all who have served in the U.S. military for their service.

“To all those who bravely served our country, thank you to you and your family for your extraordinary service. The sacrifices that all of you have made to protect our country will be honored, today and every day,” Obama said.

The Honor Flight Network did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.