WWII MEMORIAL: Jewel of the Mall

End of Season 2009

by Earl Morse

This is Incredible.  When we consider all the families of these veterans who have been touched, the “passers-by” at the airports who happened to be there on arrival or departure, the communities that rally behind these trips, the other tourists at the memorials fortunate enough to encounter these heroes, and the countless other witnesses to our efforts, that total number far exceeds what any of us can imagine.  

 
The incredible number of people who were deeply moved by our program is exceeded only by the countless hours of selfless service provided by our volunteers and supporters.  These accomplishments in 2009 and the previous years are the result of exhaustive work; untold late-night hours, time away from family and friends, pressure-cooker scenarios that played out all year, the list is endless.  The Honor Flight Network IS our volunteers and supporters.  You all have made and continue to make this dream a reality.  Even though it was a total team effort and everyone stepped up to help, there are some that were involved in EVERY flight, every day of the week, all year long: 
 

Herb Striner: a photographer who can count!

Congratulations to Herb Striner (Dean of the American University School of Former Dean of the Kogod School of Business at American University, Economist Herbert E. Striner, also worked in the corporate and public sectors. His photography has been featured in exhibits and publications. This collection consists of over 9,000 black & white negatives, color slides, and color negatives depicting a wide variety of subjects in the United States and abroad from the 1940s to 1998 including Washington, DC landmarks such as the National Cathedral and C&O Canal. 

Herbert Striner got his first camera when he was waiting to return home from the China-Burma-India Theater at the end of World War II. Some of the earliest photographs in this collection document life on a troop ship. Dr. Striner took his camera with him on his personal and professional travels depicting the people he met and the places he visited. Dr. Striner switched to digital photography in 1999.

 The Dean of the School of Communications came to me one day and told me that a fellow named Herb Striiner was coming out of retirement to take my class...and it was implied, I should be in awe!!  And so i was!  He put himself to work at digital imaging and ended up digitizing circles around his fellow students. His collection of photography has just been accepted for the Washington Research Libraries Collection and iI want to congratulate him for making sure that his archives are on file.  As a photographer, I urge you all to collect and digitize those images which aren't just snapshots, they are history.

After the war, Herb traveled extensively, worked on productivity issues for Ford and other major corporations and during his tenure as Dean, the American University School of Business was held in highest regard.  Today, he’s gone beyond photography and is using digital tools to produce abstractions on paper. 

...they will never forget the way you made them feel.

From Judy Lemmons,  Dir, Public Relations/Protocol
Honor Flight Network

CONGRATULATIONS to all the amazing, talented, selfless and dedicated volunteers who have time and again supported over 278 flights during 2009 with 17,832 vets and 8,704 guardians for a total of 35,996 veterans who have been blessed to visit their memorial over the past four years!  I'm certain we have exceeded 36,000 as we know there were some who flew under the radar, just the same, many thousands of veterans have visited their memorial.

You have each been a part of that history.  The hallowed grounds of the “Jewel of the Mall” as so eloquently named by Stephen Brown, will forever hold the footprints of a generation that otherwise would have never walked it.  May 2010 will be the 5th anniversary of Honor Flight...we've come a long way baby!   

Beginning 1 April 2009, we ramped up our energy, our desire, our support and our urgency to do more than we have in the past, during what has been touted as the most depressed economy in recent history.  WE DID IT!

To each and everyone of you who answered phones, donated money, tracked applications, made name tags, greeted vets at the airports, provided water and coolers, hugs and photographs, gave more than just your time, but your love as well, you are all to be commended as the HERO behind the HERO the unsung hero in many cases and many times, but nonetheless, the HERO’s HERO.
 
We have all been honored to walk in the shadows and on the shoulders of giants.  They have time and again inspired us to want to do more, to continue to charge, to give them a final salute in the closing chapters of their lives.

You have been the wind beneath the Honor Flight wings and you can sleep sound over the off season as I leave you with my forever thought on your service…

 They may not remember what you said.  They may not remember what you did, but they will never forget the way you made them feel.

George Kerestes on greeting veterans at the WWII Memorial

 
George Kerestes was interviewed by South Dakota's Keloland Television and got a nice write up regarding his four years of greeting Veterans at the WWII Memorial.  He says:  ""Now that I look back and realize these were my neighbors growing up and I never extended my hand,” Kerestes said. “So in my own way, this is how I shake my neighbor's hands, my father's friends that I didn't get to say thank you for."....And the vets say the "thank yous" never get old.

The interview and television piece can be seen at Keloland.com.  It's a rare day when I get to the Memorial and George isn't greeting veterans.  I remember while he was still working that he used to show up in his red, white and blue flag tie!  We need more of George!

Today went amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by Amanda Nerwin

Forwarded to Mary Pettinato

Hey Mary!!

Today went amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We had the store

decorated in red, white, and blue and it looked great!!  So many

Veterans showed up and it was great to see them all sit together with

their coffee and donut and share stories!  The Des Plaines sity clerk

also came by and sat and visited with the Vets with her coffee and

donut.  My grandfathers guardian Mary Lou also showed up which made my

grandpa's day!! 

 

South middle school never called me back so I made the extra treasure

chest I had into an additional donations box at the bakery for Honor

Flight Chicago.  I was so overwhelmed with everyone's generosity!!  I

opened a card from one one customer who comes in about four times a week

and it said:

"Just wanted to write you a note expressing how nice it is of your

family to honor the Veterans.  We would like to contribute to this cause

worthy of nothing less.  God bless your family.  Veteran's deserve this

respect and honor.  We hope this will help you achieve your goal."

The letter brought tears to my eyes, and he had put a $100 bill in the

card.  Our grand total of just additional donations is................

$739.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is way more then I expected!!  (Actual Total was over $1200.00!!!)

The article that Tim was writing will be printed next week in the

Journal and Topics newspaper, that is what he told me this morning!!  I

am also so sorry to hear about Bill Malling, I remember him on the

flight we sat together when we ate breakfast at the gate, I am praying

for his family!

I will see you Monday!

Amanda Nerwin

THE IMAGES CAN BE SEEN AT THE PHOTO SITE

Band of Brothers Fundraiser

 

800 Veterans and eleven hubs

And so if you were wondering where I've been in the past few weeks, I've been working on my latest book on DC and saving my energy up for today when 800 veterans plus guardians...a total of probably 1200 plus assorted military personnel, motorcycle police and riding groups, mounted police, guardians, school kids and relatives all gathered at the Memorial today.  It wasn't quite Woodstock but it was close and as Honor Flight has become more well known, the number of folks who come out to greet the veterans is larger and today's beautiful weather brought out EVERYONE.  

I am looking forward to the rest of the Honor Flight season as the book is on deadline.  The photos from today are at the Honor Flight Photo website.  As you can see from the contact sheet below, it was a great day for photography, family and celebration of our heroes.  It was just announced that there will be a plaque honoring Senator Dole put on the Memorial.  To say that it's well deserved is to understate the case.  

 
 

Last Tent Day for Honor Flight Season

by Lona Ichikawa

  

Tomorrow may be our last tent day for the Honor Flight season. We have two tents bundles rented and 3 hubs scheduled to use the tents as shown on Diane's HF schedule and I have volunteers to staff it.   I am not sure about the 7th of November. I don't know what the funding looks like. I did put a call out to three services (Army, Air Force and Navy) and they said they would try to send me people to assist us unload the buses so it sounds like we will have servicewomen and men to support us on the 7th of November down at the WWII Memorial.   I  have enjoyed working with all the Hub Reps, Hub Directors and group captains.  You all inspire me and I really respect how hard you ALL have worked to bring the WWII Veterans safely into DC to see their Memorial. I appreciate how hard Jim, Judy, Carol, Diane and Tom work to provide the behind the scenes support. An earlier email a couple months ago was sent out by me and was totally misinterpreted. I have always felt that you ALL work hard - have put in your sweat, blood and tears and you all are tall in my eyes for what you are doing.   I very much appreciate how Stephen Brown has given cases of his books to all three of us coordinators to give out to all the volunteers. Ace, you are awesome and to see how you support us everywhere with water and lunchboxes - tires me out.  Paul Henzy - thank you for giving us discounts and free July usage of the tent and sidewalls when you realized how tight our budget is.

DC PHOTO BOOK

My apologies to those I haven't seen down at the Memorial of late but I've been feverishly getting the final photographs together for a new book...DCPHOTOBOOK an insiders look at DC.  We just locked down the layout yesterday so I am hoping to catch the last few flights in November.  Hope all of you are well.

Mike Kilmer's Letter to the Casper Star Tribune

 
 Dear Editor:  

    Fred Klein, Jack Kelly and Pamela Atkins.wrote 3 letters in CST concerning the Honor Flight of Wyoming vets to WW!! Memorial in Washington, DC.  I just wanted to add what little I can in expressing my heartfelt  thanks to everyone who helped organize and finance this extraordinarily  inspirational trip.  There was a Guardian Angel  for every three vets, ( who paid their own way--$800). .  My personal Guardian was Rosie Satterfield.  I always knew I had a Guardian Angel, but I never thought I would meet her in person.  She really took care of us.  Other Angels  took care of  the vets including  several of those in  wheel chairs.  What a fantastic job they all did.  

    At 92, I still wasn't the oldest, but I was in the military when I was 25, served 2 years in the South Pacific.

    The Memorial is a most beautiful sight.  Every place we were treated like royalty!.

    What a send off Casper gave us.  We even got mail on the plane.  I don't know how they arranged that.  I even  got a great letter from my daughter, Judith.

    The reception we got at the airport  when we came back was the most amazing part of the whole trip--in the two day journey.    I swear half of Natrona County was out  to welcome us home from the 4 hour flight. .  There was a line-up of little boys and girls handing us little flags.  One little boy stepped forward and handed me a sack of goodies.  Besides the candy, there was a letter from a 4th grader, Nick Cottonwood, thanking me for my service.  The letter will go among my  souveiners.  What a great state Wyoming is!  What great people!

  

    I believe I will live out the rest of my days right here.  

Mike Kilmer, Mills, Wyoming---234-4437

Sent by Mr. Oleta Thomas