If you find yourself in an airport facility for any length of time at all, chances are you’re going to see some incredibly emotional moments unfold right in front of you.

You’ll find children saying goodbye to a parent who’s headed off on a business trip and couples running across the terminal to greet each other after an extended time apart. But without a doubt, the most powerful image involves the soldier who’s returning home from military service.

It’s a scene that’s played out hundreds of times each and every month at both George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William P. Hobby (HOU) Airports. Yet, it never seems to lose its impact, especially when the returning veterans are recovering from wounds sustained during combat.

That’s why the scene was so emotional at IAH’s Terminal C on May 15, as more than seventy “wounded warriors” stepped off their flight to a rousing welcome from nearby passengers.

“This is a group of wounded warriors out of Walter Reed Hospital,” said Tim Gerber from the Patriot Guard Riders Program. “They’re on their way down to Port O’Connor, Texas where they’ll be fishing over the weekend.”

The heroes were on their way to the Gulf Coast for a well-deserved break from the rigors of their rehabilitation schedule. But, before they could board the bus for the drive down to South Texas, hundreds of passengers joined in on a thunderous round of applause that could be heard throughout the terminal facility.