They fell into conversation and smiles.

Both men served in Vietnam.

Sherman last visited Washington, D.C., in 1976. He was there with his family in a motorhome for the Bicentennial celebrations.

“I would love to see it again,” he said.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Army veteran Harry Van Grevenhof waves Saturday morning from his seat shortly before the 18th Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight took off from the Fort Dodge Regional Airport.

The Vietnam War Memorial, sometimes simply called “The Wall,” wasn’t there back in 1976. The war had only ended a year before, in 1975.

He plans a visit and when he does, he’s not sure if anyone he served with will have their name engraved on The Wall.

“I hope not,” he said. “I’m going to look. I had a couple of buddies there where we never got to see each other again.”

Keigan was looking forward to the day.

“It’s a new adventure,” he said. “I’ve traveled everywhere but D.C.”

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Army veterans Ron Keigan, at left, along with Joe Sherman, both of Webster City, chat for a few minutes before boarding the 18th Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight Saturday morning at the Fort Dodge Regional Airport.

Both men agreed that people have recognized the service that Vietnam-era veterans gave.

“In the last couple of years,” Sherman said, “people are more appreciative.”

Keigan would like to see the Honor Flights continue and see them eventually opened up to veterans who served in the more recent conflicts in the Middle East.

“I hope they get a turn too,” he said.

Hugs and kisses from wives and other relatives were a common sight Saturday morning in the terminal.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Jill Lohff, at left, snaps a picture of her husband, Army veteran Dave Lohff, of Fort Dodge, before he boards the 18th Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight to Washington D.C. at the Fort Dodge Regional Airport Saturday morning.

Jill Lohff and her husband, Army veteran Dave Lohff, were no exception.

Lohff served from 1964 to 1966. He was a company clerk stationed in Germany.

Radar O’Reily jokes?

“I didn’t get any of that,” he said.

He was particularly looking forward to seeing the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
The 18th Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight is just a speck in the sky Saturday morning as the craft gains altitude and turn east towards its destination of Washington, D.C.

His wife was expecting him home tired, but happy.

Kathy Ortmann and Sharon Ziegmann, both of Wall Lake, found out they had something in common as they waited for the flight to take off. Their husbands did the same job in two different branches of the service.

“He was a cook,” Ziegmann said of her husband, Army veteran Charles Ziegmann.

“So was my husband,” Ortmann said of her spouse, Navy and Air Guard veteran Mike Ortmann.

Ortmann was in the military for 33 years, she said. He served 20 years in the Navy and 13 years in the Air Guard.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
The Sun Country 737-800 taking the members of the 18th Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight taxies towards the runway Saturday morning at the Fort Dodge Regional Airport.

Both were happy their spouses would be making the trip Saturday.

“He’s been waiting to go for a long time,” Ziegmann said. “I hope he gets some pictures. He’s not the best camera guy.”

Ortmann had a special surprise waiting for her husband’s return.

“I think he’s going to have a good time,” she said.

Then her voice broke a bit.

“He doesn’t know his three sons will be here to meet him when he comes back,” she said.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Kathy Ortmann, of Storm Lake, center, along with Sharon Ziegmann, also of Storm Lake, snap a picture of the plane taking their husbands to Washington D.C. on the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight shortly before takeoff Saturday morning at the Fort Dodge Regional Airport.