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Acadiana war veteran to fly to D.C. with Honor Flight Louisiana

Posted at 12:24 AM, Oct 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-04 01:24:50-04

LAFAYETTE — An Acadiana war veteran is getting ready for the trip of a lifetime.

Pfc. Walter Boudreaux is among the 14 veterans who will fly out to Washington D.C. for free, thanks to Honor Flight Louisiana.

Boudreaux, 90, enjoys relaxing with his family, but his life used to be much different. He enlisted in the Army in 1948.

"I'd go all over, delivering supplies and picking supplies," said Boudreaux. "I saw a lot, a lot of Germany."

Boudreaux retired from the military in 1953 after serving in the Korean War.

The veteran is now preparing for his trip to Washington D.C., which came to fruition because of his great grandson.

"I was like, that sounds like a great deal," said Jacob Blanchard. "I'd love to do it with him if I could."

It didn't take his great grandfather much convincing.

"Well, when he came and told me he was going to take care of it, I said 'yes,'" said Boudreaux.

Boudreaux isn't shy about talking about his time in the military. He has a lot of stories; some are fond, but others are difficult to revisit. Boudreaux lost two friends, both from his hometown Catahoula.

"The [surname]... two years before the war stopped, he got killed. The 'Theriot,' he got killed in D-Day," Boudreaux said through tears.

His friends' deaths are one of the reasons he's looking forward to seeing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Arlington National Cemetery.

"Well, you stop and realize... all those who didn't come back," said Boudreaux.

Blanchard says it's an honor for him to accompany his great grandfather and other veterans on the trip.

"Just being with my great grandfather and his reaction and his experience..." Blanchard continued, "(I) thought it was a little something I could pay back, so to speak, to our veterans."

Boudreaux is just as happy to spend that time with his great grandson, saying, "It's a real honor to be with him."

The duo leave for Washington D.C. Saturday morning.