<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"88-year-old Merwin Cowles fought as a marine in World War II. He got to see the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., in May.On the WPTZ Mobile App? Click here for the video.\u201CIt's an experience that I don't really know how to explain. The tears roll down and your heart will start pumping a little bit to think 'ok I've got buddies here. I don't see 'em, but I feel 'em,'\u201D said Cowles.Cowles made the trip on a North Country Honor Flight charter. The group flies vets to Washington for free so they can see the memorial as a thank you for their service.\u201CWe have had four Saturday flights. This coming October 12 will be our fifth and final flight of the year,\u201D said North Country Honor Flight director Danny Kaifetz.This month's trip will be different because of the federal government shut down. The memorials are closed to the general public.However, that didn't stop vets from a different Honor Flight chapter from going to the memorial on the first day of the shutdown. Even so, Kaifetz said the trip won't be quite the same.\u201CWe will be able to enter a slightly shut down memorial. It is not an acceptable answer, but it is the answer that we have right now,\u201D said Kaifetz.Kaifetz said the vets on the upcoming flight will be losing out on a big part of the experience -- seeing the memorial in their honor alongside everyday Americans who see the vets as the heroes they are.\u201CIt's like going to the rock start hall of fame and running into Eric Clapton. You are now seeing the very person that that memorial exists for and its very moving to the American public,\u201D said Kaifetz. \u00A0For Merwin Cowles, the shutdown is not a political showdown, but a sign of disrespect.\u201CI think it's the most dishonorable thing they ever could do for us. Without us veterans working like that there would be no America,\u201D said Cowles."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.mynbc5.com/article/feds-allow-vets-to-visit-memorials-despite-shutdown/3312131>