As WWII veterans from around the country began making their way to Atlanta for the special charter flight directly to Normandy, Wheels Up – a valued partner of Delta that offers private aviation solutions – gave two WWII veterans (age 99 and 101) the experience of a lifetime to kick off their journey by flying them directly from California to Atlanta in a private Citation X Super-Mid Jet.  

Flying private allowed the veterans to board the flight at a regional airport more convenient to them, cutting out hours from their travel journey by saving them a trip to a larger-scale airport and providing them with maximum comfort during the long flight. 

Upon being told about the surprise, the two veterans were brought to tears. “This is unbelievable. There’s no way this is happening, no way,” said WWII veteran Jake Larson, also known as Papa Jake. “I’m just a farm boy who joined the National Guard when he was 15.” 

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