22 Puerto Rican veterans return from Honor Flight to Washington

By THE STAR STAFF

Twenty-two Puerto Rican veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars participated this past weekend in an “Honor Flight” to Washington, D.C., organized by the non-profit Honor Flight Network and sponsored by the PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes.

The group traveled from June 12 to 14 and visited national monuments and memorials dedicated in their honor.

Since its founding in 2005, the Honor Flight Network has transported more than 339,226 veterans to Washington, D.C., free of charge, with the aim of honoring their service and offering them the opportunity to visit monuments built in their recognition.

The veterans were welcomed back at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, where family members, volunteers and representatives from the participating organizations greeted them upon their return to Puerto Rico.

The experience left a deep impression on the participants, who highlighted both the recognition they received and the opportunity to connect with other Puerto Rican veterans.

“I leave with a heart full of gratitude for the welcome and the applause from all the citizens who met us during the visit to Washington, D.C.,” said Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Rivera Jr., a U.S. Army veteran who served during the Vietnam War and is a resident of Carolina. “It was a magnificent trip because I met fellow Puerto Rican veterans, and we were able to share our stories. When I went to the Vietnam Wall, my heart felt like it was sinking because I had a fellow Puerto Rican comrade who died in Vietnam, and I was able to find his name on the wall.” 

Meanwhile, Magda Caquías Vélez, a resident of San Lorenzo and a U.S. Army veteran, recalled her military service with pride. “During basic training, 21 women were selected out of 150, and three of us were Puerto Rican,” she said. “I served a year and a half in Korea as the first female military police officer. It is a source of pride for me to be on this trip because my achievements had never been recognized until this experience, where I was able to meet other Puerto Rican veterans who -- despite having different stories -- share the honor and gratitude for our service.”

James Schenck, the Foundation’s CEO, noted that the foundation “maintains a deep commitment to veterans living in Puerto Rico and their families.”

“Supporting this Honor Flight represents an opportunity to recognize both their proud military legacy and the unique challenges many of them face,” he said.