EAST LONGMEADOW – Jim Raynor was in Washington D.C. for the dedication of the Korean War Memorial back in 1995. That, he said, was a big affair, with three days of celebration including a parade and a speech by then President Bill Clinton.

But that trip didn’t compare to the experience of taking part in an Honor Flight to view the war memorials in our nation’s capitol on June 17.

The 87-year-old Raynor was one of 50 local veterans and 50 guardians – plus an entourage of Honor Flight volunteers – who made the one-day trip from Logan International Airport in Boston to Washington to view the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Air Force Memorial and the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetary.

Founded in 2009, the non-profit Honor Flight Network provides free trips to Washington D.C. to World War II and Korean War veterans to view and reflect at their memorials. The June trip was provided by Honor Flight New England.

The entire trip, Raynor said, was an  “unbelievable” experience, but what truly touched him  – and the seven fellow Korean War vets on that flight with him – were the crowds of people waiting for them.

“From the time we got off the bus [at Logan] to the time we reached the gate there were two lines of people [to greet us]. I had never experienced anything like that,” Raynor remarked.

“As a Korean War veteran, nobody showed up, there was no brass band to meet us when we came home,” he continued. “World War II was the big thing; people were just glad [our] war was over.

“To see these people … it brought tears to your eyes. It felt like we were finally welcomed home,” he said.  “And it was not just at Logan, but it was in Baltimore/Washington [airport], both going and coming.

“I can’t tell you the feeling … you had to be there and had to be one of us to understand the feeling,” Raynor explained.

Jessica Szczepanek, sales director at East Village Place where Raynor resides, accompanied the former U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class on the flight as his official guardian.  She said the entire day was “just so moving.” When the bus pulled up at each of the pre-arranged stops and the veterans – who ranged in age from 80 to 100 years old – disembarked, the reaction of fellow tourists was truly something special.

“People of all ages and different nationalities were stopping and going up to the vets and asking to have their picture taken with them,” she said. “Even young kids were coming up to them and talk to them and ask them about their experiences.”

Raynor said the trip was a “once in a lifetime” experience. “The World War II Memorial is absolutely breathtaking, I’m glad I got to see it,” he said, adding that he and his fellow veterans lacked for nothing throughout the day, and he received “a nice jacket, a hat and a backpack full of goodies to get us through the day” in addition to a catered breakfast, lunch and dinner during the trip.

Raynor said he learned about the Honor Flight program when a representative visited East Village Place to give a presentation. He asked Szczepanek to accompany him as a guardian and Watermark Retirement Communities, the parent company of East Village Place, graciously stepped in and paid the $600 to cover Szczepanek’s portion of the trip.

Szczepanek, who said she plans events for East Village Place as a part of her job, had nothing but high praise for the Honor Flight team that accompanied she and Raynor in June.

“The trip was just so well organized – when you think about the logistics of 50 veterans who are in their 80s to 100 years old, many in wheelchairs – there were no hiccups. They never wanted for anything. It was VIP treatment the entire day,” she said. “I feel privileged to be able to join [Jim]. I’m grateful he asked me; it was his day but it was wonderful to be part of that, to see and experience it.”

Szczepanek added the people at Honor Flight New England know the number of World War II veterans is shrinking every day and they “want to take as many as they can” to Washington to see their memorial. For more information about the Honor Flight program, visit honorflightnewengland.org.