Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, Knox County's Chief of Staff Mike Arms and U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan Jr., met with World War II veterans at McGhee Tyson Airport Wednesday morning. The veterans were scheduled to take part in HonorAir Knoxville which flies as many East Tennessee World War II veterans as possible to Washington D.C. to see the World War II Memorial built in their honor.

HonorAir Knoxville is presented by Prestige Cleaners in partnership with the Rotary Foundation of Knoxville and sponsered by Covenant Health and Home Federal Bank of Tennessee.

HonorAir Knoxville accepts WWII veterans from Knox, Anderson, and Blount counties for their trips. There is a narrow window of opportunity to accomplish this task. According to the Department of Veterans Affair:

Sixteen million Americans served in World War II. There are approximately a little more than 3 million veterans alive. Every day we lose approximately 1,200 World War II veterans. In another five to ten years almost all World War II veterans will be gone.

Over 60 years ago a remarkable generation of Americans joined forces to protect civilization in the largest war in world history. No amount of gratitude could ever repay the debt for the gift of democracy these World War II veterans gave the world. However, HonorAir Knoxville is dedicated to honoring East Tennessee World War II veterans and the sacrifices they made to ensure our freedoms.