Kattrina (Tina) Sangillo of Windham, Me., held hard onto the fishing rod and cranked slowly with her right hand. She was reeling in the biggest fish she’d ever caught in her life. The striped bass pulled and tugged at the line, flashing silver in the water.

Ms. Sangillo, a Viet Nam veteran who is now disabled, served in both the Army and the Air Force as a medic. And at this moment she was having the time of her life, a couple miles south of Aquinnah, seated in a charter fishing boat beneath bright blue skies with a view of the Atlantic Ocean that seemed to go on forever.

And a nice striper on the line.

“I am having too much fun,” she confessed to Capt. Jennifer Clarke, the host of the morning fishing trip.

Ms. Sangillo was one of six disabled veterans who visited the Vineyard this week as guests of an extensive crew of Vineyard volunteers and participants in the first Beach Plum Inn American Heroes Saltwater Challenge. Five of the veterans came from Maine; the sixth came from Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, Md.

Through a partnership that included Bob and Sarah Nixon, owners of the Beach Plum Inn, volunteers with the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, and a list of contributors that could fill an entire page of this newspaper, the veterans were given the time of their lives.

On Tuesday morning, less than a mile offshore Dale Cherney, 44, an army veteran, reeled in a bonito, the first saltwater fish he had ever caught. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, Mr. Cherney called it one of the greatest experiences of his life.

Mr. Cherney has spent two years in hospital. While serving his third tour in Iraq in October of 2007, he and his colleagues were caught in a rocket attack in Baghdad. He lost the sight in his left eye as well as most of his left leg, and suffered severe damage to his right leg, along with other injuries.

At 7:30 a.m. in Menemsha, Mr. Cherney climbed into the boat of Capt. Craig Keefe to go fishing.

Stan Munson, 51, of Belfast, Me., stood at the Menemsha gas dock. “I love to go fishing,” he said, before he stepped aboard. “God put fish in the ocean so I could play with them,” he said.

Mr. Munson was severely injured in an accident in January of 1982, when he was a 23-year-old soldier stationed in Germany. He was in a coma for 12 days; when he awoke, he could not see, hear, talk or move. He eventually regained everything but his eyesight. Terry Perry, of Gorham, Me., was discharged from the Air Force in 1992 with injuries. Despite the restrictions of a wheelchair, on Tuesday morning she reeled in a bonito aboard Capt. Scott McDowell’s fishing boat Lauren C., and went on to catch six more fish in her three-day Vineyard adventure.

Another veteran fisherman was Butch Freeman, 48, of Gorham, Me. He was discharged from the Army in 2007 after serving in Iraq.

Another was Peter Sargent, 59, of New Gloucester, Me., a Viet Nam era veteran.

Meanwhile, a couple of miles offshore, Ms. Sangillo spoke about her experiences with Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc., a national organization that helps veterans adjust to their disabilities through fishing.

Seated at the stern of Captain Clarke’s fishing boat, between casts Ms. Sangillo said, “It is wonderful to be here. I could stay all day.” She turned to look at crewman Hollis Smith standing nearby. “Thank you for putting in the time for us,” she said.

“Well, you put in the time for this country,” Mr. Smith returned.

Soon after, Ms. Sangillo reeled in a large bluefish.

On Monday night, the anglers were driven to derby headquarters in downtown Edgartown to weigh in their fish.

Weighmaster Charlie Smith, a veteran himself, helped Ms. Sangillo carry her 18.78-pound striped bass and 8.01-pound bluefish outside.

Later in the night Mr. Cherney’s 6.12-pound bonito that he weighed in earned him fourth place on the daily board. He received a pin.

Each of the veteran anglers was given a plaque for their participation.

On Wednesday the vets went out again, this time aboard Capt. Buddy Vanderhoop’s 30-foot fishing boat Tomahawk. Mr. Munson caught a 20.48-pound striped bass, while Mr. Cherney caught a large bluefish.

And the trip to the Island was not all fishing. There was a clambake on the beach at Menemsha hosted by Larsen’s Fish Market; there were other meals at the Galley and the Beach Plum Inn provided housing, event planning and other amenities. Charter fishermen Tom Langman and Charlie Finnerty also donated their time and boats. Transportation was provided by MV Island Tours, Your Taxi and Aquinnah Taxi. Photographer Peter Simon recorded the events with his camera.

“I was amazed at how people just kept giving. They wanted to give more,” said Doriana Klumick, the manager of the Menemsha and Beach Plum Inns who organized events. “The community came together.”