The Honor Flight network, which has 85 chapters across the country, is a non-profit organization created to honor America’s veterans for their sacrifices. It regularly sponsors trips to the Washington area to pay tribute to veterans. Their top priority is to World War II veterans – more than 1,000 die each day, according to the organization’s Web site – because ‘‘time to express thanks to these brave men and women is running out.”

Mary Pettinato, president of Honor Flight Chicago, said the Oct. 21 visit brought 78 veterans and 58 guides to post. While in Washington the group visited Arlington National Cemetery, the World War II Memorial on the National Mall and other sites.

‘‘I’ve never been respected so much in all my life,” said Edmund Ewoldt, describing the attention he received from young Soldiers clamoring to hear about his exploits at the officers club. Ewoldt, a former Navy petty officer second class and a retired teacher, said he was grateful to Honor Flight for the trip.

‘‘These guys are the reason I joined the Army,” said Pfc. Anthony Tropeano, an Old Guard Soldier, reflecting on their visit. ‘‘Without these veterans we’d all be speaking German.”

‘‘It’s an excellent experience,” said Spc. Jonathon Hyland. ‘‘It’s an honor to be surrounded by these guys. I come from a military Family where you can count on one hand the number of people who didn’t serve in the military.” He said most of his Family had experience in Vietnam and that this was one of his first opportunities to hear first-hand from World War II veterans.