In three weeks, more than 100 men in their 80s and 90s will board a plane for a flight they never expected to take.

They're World War II veterans, and they'll take a free plane ride to see their own memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

"It's something I never thought would happen to me," said Rich Damron of York.  Damron was at Iwo Jima.  He stood right next to the raised flag there, but has never seen that famous memorial in D.C. or the massive World War II memorial that opened in the 90s.

"God, yes. I'm so excited," he said.

The Honor Flight organization has taken thousands of veterans around the country to D.C. free of charge.  Each time they go, a sponsor steps in and pays for the trip.  This time, the Electric Co-ops of South Carolina wanted to reach out to men living in rural parts of the state, those who'd have less of an opportunity to ever make the trip.

Mike Couick is president of the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina.

"Many of the vets that go are from larger cities. We wanted to take rural veterans to D.C.," Couick said. "We had an overwhelming response.  More than 270 of them have asked to go.  One hundred will be on this flight."

For that reason, the co-ops have agreed to pay for a second flight.

Damron is exactly the kind of person this particular honor flight is aimed at.  

"I was born and raised up in the hills, way up in the hills.  I've done and seen a lot of things I never thought I'd see, and this will be one of them," he said.

Of the honor flight veterans, 11 are from York County.  Lee Smoak of Rock Hill expects that day to be a very emotional one.

"I think there will be a few tears for sure, because it's such a big thing to see all at one time," he said.  "I'll be thinking about all the old boys that didn't make it, that won't get to be there, and what it would mean to them."

On Wednesday, all those going on the flight gathered in Columbia to learn how it will work.  They were told what to expect related to the weather, air and bus travel and meals.  Because there are so many veterans who still need to see the memorial, their spouses and children are not allowed to go with them.  Only one person can accompany each veteran as a special guardian.  That way, the honor flight can take as many men as possible, because about 1,000 World War II veterans die every day.

The group will leave on April 11. They'll be greeted and tour the World War II memorial, then they'll see other famous landmarks, as well.

Eyewitness News is the only Charlotte TV station that will be traveling with them.  We will bring you that story soon on Eyewitness News.