WASHINGTON, D.C. --- The stories they can tell.

Cedar Valley World War II veterans experienced a memorable whirlwind tour of war memorials and other national landmarks Tuesday in Washington, D.C. That alone was enough to make even the toughest former soldier, airman, sailor or Marine choke up.

Then the 87 veterans who participated in Waterloo's inaugural Honor Flight received a heroes' homecoming. The airport terminal was packed at about 10:30 p.m. with flag-waving greeters, the Cedar Valley Big Band playing upbeat period tunes and hugs and kisses - sometimes from strangers - as a thank you for their service.

It was the perfect ending, vets said, to a perfect day.

"It's an experience you'll never forget," said Richard Klingaman of Waterloo, who served in the Army for two years starting in early 1945. That's saying a lot for a guy who was stationed in Nagasaki, Japan, shortly after the second atomic bomb was dropped. "For all these people to come out late at night, I can't believe it."

When Klingaman returned from the war by train to Marshalltown, there was no fanfare. His parents picked him up, and he went home and straight to bed. Klingaman didn't expect anything special for simply doing his duty - much like the rest of his military brothers and sisters.