Frank Alexander's father had one condition before his son could sign up for military service.

Finish high school.

So a few weeks after he nabbed his diploma in 1942, Alexander signed his life over to his country at a booth in downtown Los Angeles.

He would receive his orders, he was informed, in seven days.

The 17-year-old hadn't been afraid, he remembered. Just proud.

"I guess I thought it was the right thing to do," he said.

These days, Frank doesn't like to talk much about his Naval service in the Philippines during World War II, which he tallies at precisely three years, six months and 26 days.

He has harbored one urgent desire, though - to take in the veterans memorials in Washington D.C.

"I'd never seen it. That's why it was so important," said Alexander, a California native now living in Post Falls. "I thought I'd get to see some of my buddies' names on the wall."

Last weekend, the 88-year-old finally made it happen.

Or a nonprofit did, that is.

With the aid of his grandson Rick Alexander Jr. to fill out the application, Alexander was picked for a spot with Inland Northwest Honor Flight, which recently ferried 38 World War II veterans from North Idaho and Eastern Washington to tour the D.C. memorials.

"I'm a sentimental guy. I can't even describe it," Frank said of his reaction when he got the call that there was a plane seat with his name on it.

It was also important for Rick Jr., who said his grandfather takes great pride in his service in World War II and the Korean War.

"He has his honorable discharges framed on the wall," Rick Jr. said. "And he's never been back there to see the memorials that were built to honor him and men like him. To me, it was almost a way to bring him full circle from 70 years ago when he enlisted."

The flight arrived in D.C. last Friday evening. The next day, the group engaged in a marathon tour of the major military memorials.

Frank locked eyes with the 16th president at the Lincoln Memorial, and gazed over the glassy pond of the National World War II Memorial. He craned his neck up at the soaring silver arcs of the Air Force Memorial, and snapped photos of the bronze men perpetually straining a flag upright at the Marine Corps memorial.

"We did it all in one day, and I'll tell you, I was exhausted," he said.

With his eyes failing him, he couldn't make out the names of the fallen, he admitted.

But his mind was conjuring plenty of visuals on its own, he said.

"Of course, it had to bring back a lot of unhappy memories," he said. "I thought about the places I'd been, the things I'd done. I just hope that the younger generation doesn't have to do it again."

His fellow travelers were equally affected, he added.

"I'm going to tell you, that every single one of those guys, they might be crippled up, but they'd put a uniform on again tomorrow and do it all again," he said.

Among them was his son and Vietnam veteran, Rick Sr., who accompanied his father on the trip.

Rick Sr. was the most emotional, he admitted, when he ran his hand across the wall of names at the Vietnam memorial.

"About half of my graduating class that were boys in high school were on that wall," said Rick, also from Post Falls. "I was going to look up the names and when I got there, but I couldn't do it. It was just too hard to contemplate."

The group was constantly approached by folks who spotted their veteran ribbons, Frank said.

Some stopped their cars to shake his hand. Others simply thanked him for his service.

"There were hundreds of them," Alexander said. "I'd thank them. Thank them from the bottom of my heart."

At dinner, he added, he and the other veterans were presented with personally addressed letters from elementary students, expressing thanks for their contributions.

"One young man says, 'I hope I grow up to be just like you when I grow up,'" Frank said. "I lost it then."

Even at their airport stops, a crowd welcomed the veterans with applause and greetings, Frank added. When they touched down at the Spokane International Airport, hundreds were waiting with flags and smiles.

"It was heart wrenching," he said.

Frank doesn't need more than that, some handshakes and letters. It's enough to know folks haven't lost sight of the patriotism that guided his decision over 70 years ago.

"I'm just a regular guy, no hero," he said. "Just a regular American."

Frank has a new plan, now, he added. To run the application for the Honor Flight through a copy machine, and distribute them to every veteran he knows.

"I want to give every veteran here the opportunity to experience what I did," he said. "And thank them like I was thanked."