WWII MEMORIAL

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

Eight State Honor Flights

There were Honor Flights from eight states repsresented at the Memorial today and rumored to be between 700 and 1200 veterans. Senators Robert and Elizabeth Dole were there as was Mike Marshall bearing news of a new boy in the family.  Everyone was photographing and the weather held out nicely as everyone pitched in and took a camera.  I suspect Senator Dole in the hour and one half that he was there shook probably six hundred hands and Mrs. Dole as many.  Leader the pup reprsented the canine corps!  The October schedule is posted on the blog in the right hand column and the photos are available at the WWII Memorial photo site.

Dee Pakulski and Northwest Ohio(NWO)

Two years ago, Dee Pakulski (second from left) was in DC at the Honor Flight convention  exploring how to transport the veterans from the Toledo, Ohio.  Obviously she has succeeded as she has brought over 250 grateful WWII Veterans to DC with a 100 percent safety record and has another 500 Veterans on her waiting list.  The crew of her charter company Express Jet routinely join her at the Memorial.  Her efforts were recently featured on ABC  television and it's nice to see her get the publicity and even better is to see her devotiont as she is interviewed.  It's a great piece and well worth watching.

Chicago's award winning documentary

From Mary Pettinato

"We just received a call from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (the Emmy's) regarding our website's reference to an "Emmy-nominated documentary."  Although a fleeting moment, it was quite exciting to get a call from this highly recognized organization.  Unfortunately, the call was not made to congratulate, but rather to educate us on the verbiage we had used to describe our documentary.  It appears that we there are three steps to an Emmy.   

• First, we enter our documentary into the Emmy contest.  (this is the step where we are currently:-)
• Second, after all the entries are reviewed by a panel of judges, a chosen few are nominated for an Emmy.  This occurs October 1st.  
• Third, one of the chosen few who was nominated for an Emmy wins the prestigious Emmy!  

Our documentary is truly something to be proud of, regardless of how we have described it in the past.  Although most of us have watched this documentary and perhaps know the words to it, others may not have had the time to see it in its entirety.  You can find the documentary on our homepage at www.honorflightchicago.org <http://www.honorflightchicago.org> ..  Please consider logging on before October 1 since we are hoping to have hundreds of thousands of other visitors logging on after October 1:-).  

Thank you all for making Honor Flight Chicago one of the fastest growing not for profits around.  We could not do this without the Communications Committee!"   

Dan Arant's Photography

Dan Arant, a retired Naval Officer and National Park Service volunteer who lectures on military history at various places on the Mall.  He is seen here giving Mrs. Dole a framed print that he had made up.  

The photo shows the Dole's and the gold leaf type says:   "Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand." and is attributed to Mother Theresa of Calcutta. It's a beautiful picture and sentiment and it's a measure of the Doles' coommitment and generosity to Honor Flight

Columbus: Like Clock Work

  

Senator Elizabeth Dole poses with Bill and Bobbi Richards, Honor Fliight's most frequent flyers  They come to DC every two weeks and today I believe we not only got a photograph of the Columbus group but also single frames of every WWII Veteran with Mrs. Dole.