Most Honor Flights are mainly made up of men, but it’s important not to forget the contributions women made.
"I want to touch it," said Shirley Ciodo as she approached the Air Force Memorial. "Unbelievable."
The Honor Flight was a trip back in time for many veterans on it.
"I was impressed when the young lady was dressed in the uniform that I used to wear, when we marched with the band," recalled Eadie Rebrovich. "I couldn't tell left from right, so I had to put a stone in my left hand so I knew which way to do."
Two of them were Eadie Rebrovich, an X-ray technician in the Army, and Shirley Ciodo, a morning report clerk in the Air Force.
"They gave us four shirts to wear. That was a skirt top and a jacket, and then you have to … no wrinkles, no wrinkles anywhere. Your shoe shines so you can see yourself," said Ciodo with a smile, looking back on her old uniform.
Both women served during the Korean War, met husbands in the military, and left to start families.
"He fell in love with my uniform and I fell in love with his," said Ciodo.
"She had more stripes than him," added Ciodo’s daughter.
"Yeah, I did," laughed Ciodo.
The jobs they did made a difference.
"So we want to again recognize your service and thank you so much," said one of the women working at the Women’s Memorial, where the Honor Flight made a stop.
Both were specifically thanked during that stop.
"Every woman who has served, no matter what their job is, did the important mission for the United States military must be recognized for that," said Women’s Memorial staff as they presented the women with an award.
It was an unexpected honor, especially since the two vets felt sometimes that women who served can be forgotten about.
"I was amazed, really shocked. And I cried. I didn’t expect anything like this," said Rebrovich.
Contributions made by women in the military have only increased over time.
"Women do see combat today. They're out there right with the men, battling through," said Gary Rebrovich, Eadie’s son. "Back in 1950s, of course not, they had different roles, and it's extremely important for women to understand what past veterans went through and if they enlist and become your career people, it's good for them."
The two women serving as examples, but not the first, and certainly not the last.
"I hope that a lot of young people serve their country, even if they don't go to the military, there's some way that can serve their country," said Ciodo.