SAN DIEGO — The 90 veterans flown to Washington D.C. over the weekend arrived back at San Diego International Airport Sunday afternoon, with hundreds of friends, family and strangers greeting them on their return.

Honor Flight San Diego chartered the three-day trip for the veterans so they could see the memorials built in honor of their service at the nation’s capital.

On the trip were veterans from World War II, as well as the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

One of the veterans, Edward Seffens, served in all three. He told FOX 5 that he thoroughly enjoyed his first-ever trip to the nation’s capital.

“I got to see the buildings in person — the buildings that I used to look at in pictures when I was a kid,” Seffens said.

On the trip, for the first time, were to female veteran nurses. One of those nurses was Jean Wright, who served as a Lieutenant Colonel for the Air Force Nurse Corps.

She told FOX 5 on her return that the memorials and statues she saw in Washington D.C. left a lasting impression.

“To see the statue, it (was) a nurse cradling a dying soldier, so it hits the heart,” said Wright.

It was an emotional homecoming for all those present — from the veterans returning to those greeting them inside Terminal 2.

“I thought maybe a few would be here, but this was just … I’m speechless,” said Wright.

More than 1,800 veterans have been flown to the capital for similar trips through the non-profit, Honor Flight San Diego, since 2010.

“It’s so great, so grand. I’ve never had this kind of feeling in my life,” Seffens said. “This is so nice for all of you people (and) for us. Thank you, thank you San Diego.”