Hawaii's first Honor Flight brought 25 veterans home from Washington DC to a hero's welcome, a good-news moment for veterans who never got one.

• The group spent five days in DC and returned to songs, food, and hugs from family, fellow veterans, and state lawmakers at the airport.
• For Vietnam veterans like Robert Ventura, it was the public thank-you they were denied decades ago.
• This was Hawaii's first such trip, and hundreds more veterans are on the waiting list.
• Organizers need sponsors and community money to keep the flights going.

Outlook: More trips depend on finding funding, with a Veterans Day special planned on the first journey.