WWII MEMORIAL: Jewel of the Mall

Honor Flights 5/22/2012

Chicago, Arizona, Columbia and Myrtle Beach, SC and North West Ohio Honor Flights were in town today as was Jim McLaughlin, President of Honor Flight and Susan Barr traveling with Arizona.   The predicted stormy weather held off all day and other than a bit of humidity, my trip to the Memorial was absolute karma– A cure for my blues where you will find George Kerestes, Al Doehner and a cadre of people interested in “giving.”  Pretty phenomenal experience in every way.

As usual, I took a few snaps which are available for free download on the photo storage site where there are now over 25000 images stored from the last five or six years of photography.  All of the Honor Flight folders are dated if you are looking for information and it is “keyword searchable” which I have found invaluable with my ever shrinking personal “database.”

As we arrived, some first graders from Glebe School were lined up to greet the North West Ohio Honor Flights and so the day began with one incredibly nice thing after another happening.  All the flights had wreaths, NW Ohio had a tent which was cool and shady and someone gave Jim McLaughlin a check for a $1000.00.  There was another busload of employees from a tech company who were volunteering and had “just heard about the flights and decided to show up”.  Mary Pettinato as usual did up the town with a great ceremony which John Bonk and I both photographed.  So enjoy the photographs and thanks to all of you volunteers and veterans for a great day!

 

Honor Flight numbers are IMPRESSIVE ... Congratulations to all!!!

I received these numbers from Jim McLaughlin and I think that all the Honor Flight volunteers deserve great praise, ovations and a terrific Holiday Season.  Through rain, delays, departures and hot and cold days, you have all participated in an extraordianary piece of American History!  Congrats!

Please find the attached information to reflect totals for the 2011 Flying Season:

 -Veterans Flown in 2011: 18,055
-Guardians Flown in 2011: 13,893
-Combined Total in 2011: 31,948

And Since the inception of Honor Flight in May, 2005:
-Veterans Flown since inception: 81,348
-Guardians Flown since inception: 39,184
-Combined Total since inception: 120,532

Chicago, Arizona, New Mexico stay dry!

We had some bad weather forecast today in DC and while it was gray, the rains held off while Arizona, New Mexico and Chicago Honor Flights were at the Memorial.  Jim McLoughlin and Susan Barr are in town for a few days supervising the variety of flights that are arriving. Honor Flight is a phenomena...and phenomenally successful.  It has required the committment of thousands and thousands of people and will be regarded positively for all time. The photos are available for personal use by Veterans and their families.

 

"Heroes Welcome" begins transporting veterans

Lona Ichikawa has taken on a new role with Heroes' Welcome the organization that traditionally welcomes WWII Veterans to the BWI, Reagan and Dulles Airports. They are transporting their first bus trip from Northern Virginia.  The buses depart from American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax on October 2, 2011.  If you would like to be a guardian, you can get in touch with Lona through the Heroes' Welcome website.  They were recently given some press by the Vienna Connection and a lot of support from local volunteers.

VJ Day, Honolulu Hawaii, August 14, 1945

VJ Day, Honolulu Hawaii, August 14, 1945 from Richard Sullivan on Vimeo.

This video was recently found and is represented to be VJ Day in Honolulu. Imagine the celebration...no...SEE the celebration

"I shop at Hyvee!....Iowa Visits

For the last two years, I've gotten book orders from the Iowa Hyvee for Honor Flights who I haven't had a chance to meet but today Iowa was here.  And "I'm going shop at Hyvee!" even if they don't have any stores in the DC area.  I think it's wonderful that companies like this get behind community events and Hyvee is to be commeneded along with a host of individuals and companies that make up Iowa's Honor Flight.

 

Jewel of the Mall Online

"WWII Memorial: Jewel of the Mall" is now online!

Mission Accomplished

From the Home Page of the Honor Flight Tennessee Valley website:

On November 16, 2009 the Board approved a plan to closeout Honor Flight Tennessee Valley after an added Honor Flight #11 on May 29, 2010. We will cease accepting veteran’s applications as of 31 January 2010. Honor Flight #10 will carry 125 veterans, and the remaining veterans will be flown to DC on Honor Flight #11. Any remaining funds will be transferred to the Veteran’s Museum for the establishment of a permanent tribute to the alumni and the accomplishments of Honor Flight Tennessee Valley. Hopefully someone will step forward to start a program to carry Korean War Veterans to their Memorial – the Forgotten War.

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight arrived today in perfect synch with Senator Dole.  Lead by Ray Wiedle, the 17 veteran group was met by an Honor Guard and probably had the most comfortable weather of the year. It was a lovely blue sky day punctuated with a good breeze and remarkably pleasant temperatures......something we needed badly in Washington after a long string of soggy hot weather!!!  The Pictures are available at the WWII Memorial Photo Site.

Here's to Fall which is looking like it's going to keep the Ground Crew mighty busy!!!

Columbus is Double Doled

Bobbi and Bill Richards arrived at the Memorial at about 11 AM with their Columbus veterans and TWICE IN A ROW, we got the group picture right away. I guess they've done nine trips this year and seven to go so will be picking up the big award this year for most visits to the Memorial. I think they may be in contention with Jim McLaughlin. After we got the group photo taken care of, the veterans headed off to see the Memorial. 

After an hour or so, Senator and Mrs. Elizabeth Dole showed up with "Leader the dog" in tow.  She was ahead of Senator Dole who hasn't been to the Memorial since his surgery a couple of weeks ago.   She warmed up the crowd for him and when he arrived fifteen minutes later, there was great applause and they posed together with the Veterans so we did the group twice.  Hey...if it was good the first time!!

For a change, the Senator (Robert) took the Doctor's Orders and only stayed for ten minutes.  Mrs. Dole stayed another half hour and kept the veterans delighted.  She is very gracious and while I have known her  a long time, she always make me feel like she remembers!!!  it's a rare gift and she's a great lady.  Senator Dole was looking pretty spiffy but I am personally quite happy that he is agreeing to listen to the Doctor.  There were a lot of emails this week about getting him to only stay a few minutes but he is not easily swayed...to say the least.  For a Republican, he's awfully Independent!  The Photos are available on the Jewel of the Mall site and can be downloaded for free and for personal use only.  I have to thank Matt Mabe of the FBI who works with us when Senator Dole is available. He's great to have in the crowd to make sure things go smoothly.