(Washington, D.C.) -- In May 2004, the National World War Two Memorial was dedicated to veterans who served our country.  Sixteen million served; 400,000 died.  

The Memorial came too late for many veterans who are now in their 80s and 90s.  But a Missouri group is working to see that all veterans get to see their reward.

The bus loads in Sedalia, Missouri at 4:15 a.m.  It's loaded with 38 World War Two veterans, each headed to see the memorial for the very first time.  The bus is escorted to the Kansas City airport by Pettis County Sheriff's Deputies.  The sleepy veterans now only have to wait a few hours to reach their goal.

Show-Me Honor Flights is part of the national Honor Flight Network.  Private donations mean veterans fly to see their memorial for free, each accompanied by a volunteer escort or guardian and even an on-board physician.

"We have a few folks who are diabetic, one that needs oxygen, one had a pacemaker," says physician, Dr. John Wendt.  

The United States loses about 1,200 World War Two vets a day, nearly twenty in Missouri alone.  Show-Me Honor Flights wants to act while there's still time.  Some veterans have bad eye sight, little energy, or limited finances.  

"As for me, I'm getting too darned old," says 83-year-old William Bergmann of Springfield.

"This is too much for a country boy to try to get on an airplane," says Johnny DeGraffenreid of Lake of the Ozarks.  "If it wasn't for my grandson here, why, I wouldn't be here."

Mark DeGraffenreid is proud to escort his grandfather.  

"It's cool for all these guys to see it because we don't know how much longer they'll be here," Mark says.  "I think it's a great tribute, an honor, just to go along with them."

John Foote, a Vietnam Veteran, is an escort for his mother Janice, one of two WWII Nurses on the journey.

On the flight to Baltimore, the veterans share stories.  Upon arrival, they're greeted as heroes.  The crowd at the airport gate breaks into applause, many travelers jumping to their feet.  

At the Memorial site, former Senator Bob Dole was on hand to greet veterans.  ABC News' Sam Donaldson, himself an Army veteran, offered his thanks as well.  

"I tell the kids, Al Qaeda," Donaldson says.  "We wouldn't have to worry about Al Qaeda if we'd lost World War Two.  We'd already be invaded.  We'd already be subjugated.  You guys kept us free."

"It kind of makes you just want to stand here and look at it," Bergman says, admiring the beauty of the pillars and wreaths.

"I lost some buddies over there," one veteran says, tearing up and unable to finish his thought.

"It's massive.  Much larger than I thought it would be," says Charles Robertson of Russellville, Arkansas, the one Arkansas vet on the Show-Me Honor Flight.  "Seeing pictures don't do anywhere close to justice."

Even some Maryland visitors were moved by the Midwest fighters.  

"There so many that didn't get to see it because they were so late in putting it up," one woman says.  "And it should have been up long before now."

"You feel like you've been waiting for it all these years and here it is," says former Nurse Janice Foote.  "I just wish some of the buddies I lost were here to see it."

On this day, 38 veterans saw their memorial.  Tomorrow will likely be too late for 1,200 others.

"What's your goal?  Our goal is to see every WWII veteran in Missouri to get to see the memorial," says Sedalia organizer Charlie Thomas, vowing to do all he can to make it happen.

Click here to learn more about the national Honor Flight Network.