Oct 21, 2009
Aberdeen Honor Flight Memories
Posted by: Karen Sherman - 10/21/2009 2:30 PM
Veterans on the third Honor Flight from South Dakota were on the ground in Washington, D.C. for just under 35 hours. It was a whirlwind of a trip that included visits to the Air Force Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, Arlington National Cemetary and a banquet to honor the veterans. And that was just Friday's activities!
Saturday included a stop at the World War II Memorial and a short driving tour, plus visits to the Navy Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Korean War Memorial, FDR Memorial and the Air & Space Museum. It was a lot to take in then and a lot to process now that we are back in South Dakota.
The weather was gloomy and wet the whole time we were in Washington, D.C. While it didn't seem to dampen the spirits of the veterans, it did mean they had to bundle up and wear rain ponchos supplied by Honor Flight to stay dry. Some got off the bus at every stop; others, stayed on board to keep warm.
With so many stops and so many wonderful conversations with the veterans, it's hard to detail everything that happened during the trip. But there are a few moments that stood out to me.
At Arlington National Cemetary, while waiting for the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Friday afternoon, a security guard approached a veteran. When asked if he was cold, the veteran replied no but that didn't stop the security guard from reaching over and adjusting the man's coat. The security guard pulled it up and made sure it was fastened up to keep the veteran warm. It's a touching moment I happened to catch on video.
At the World War II Memorial, I talked with Bill Eliason of Gettysburg shortly after he had a heart-warming experience. As he stood looking at the Memorial, he was grabbed from behind. Fearful someone was trying to mug him, Bill turned around quickly and grabbed the man by the shoulders. The stranger clung to Bill's shoulders, looked up at the World War II veteran and said, 'We owe you so much.' Bill said tears were running down the man's face, causing Bill to choke up a bit as well. You can see Bill share the story in Erich Schaffhauser's 'Honor Flight Vets Thankful For Appreciation' report.
The last stop of the trip also included 'Thank yous' for the veterans from a group of teenagers visiting the Air & Space Museum. It was closing time, so there was a crowd leaving the building together. As the group moved towards the door, I started to hear a few of the teenagers quietly say, 'Thank you,' to the veterans. Soon, their friends joined in and they tried to reach out to each of the veterans. Some even asked to take their pictures with the South Dakota group! One mom remarked, 'I can't believe that is my daughter.' It was an unexpected and impressive show of respect.
Before we left on this third Honor Flight, reporter Karla Ramaekers told me it would be a life-changing experience and she was right. I am so honored to have been able to go along on the journey with the veterans from the Aberdeen area.
I'd like to thank the Honor Flight Board of Directors for inviting KELO to be a part of the trip, plus the guardians and medical staff who watched over the veterans. But most of all, I would like to thank the veterans for sharing their stories, their service and their sacrifices.
Be sure to visit the Honor Flight page for more stories from this latest trip. There are also video clips in uShare Reports and pictures in the uShare Photo Gallery.
Posted by: Karen Sherman - 10/21/2009 2:30 PM
Veterans on the third Honor Flight from South Dakota were on the ground in Washington, D.C. for just under 35 hours. It was a whirlwind of a trip that included visits to the Air Force Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, Arlington National Cemetary and a banquet to honor the veterans. And that was just Friday's activities! Saturday included a stop at the World War II Memorial and a short driving tour, plus visits to the Navy Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Korean War Memorial, FDR Memorial and the Air & Space Museum. It was a lot to take in then and a lot to process now that we are back in South Dakota.
The weather was gloomy and wet the whole time we were in Washington, D.C. While it didn't seem to dampen the spirits of the veterans, it did mean they had to bundle up and wear rain ponchos supplied by Honor Flight to stay dry. Some got off the bus at every stop; others, stayed on board to keep warm.
With so many stops and so many wonderful conversations with the veterans, it's hard to detail everything that happened during the trip. But there are a few moments that stood out to me.
At Arlington National Cemetary, while waiting for the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Friday afternoon, a security guard approached a veteran. When asked if he was cold, the veteran replied no but that didn't stop the security guard from reaching over and adjusting the man's coat. The security guard pulled it up and made sure it was fastened up to keep the veteran warm. It's a touching moment I happened to catch on video.
At the World War II Memorial, I talked with Bill Eliason of Gettysburg shortly after he had a heart-warming experience. As he stood looking at the Memorial, he was grabbed from behind. Fearful someone was trying to mug him, Bill turned around quickly and grabbed the man by the shoulders. The stranger clung to Bill's shoulders, looked up at the World War II veteran and said, 'We owe you so much.' Bill said tears were running down the man's face, causing Bill to choke up a bit as well. You can see Bill share the story in Erich Schaffhauser's 'Honor Flight Vets Thankful For Appreciation' report.
The last stop of the trip also included 'Thank yous' for the veterans from a group of teenagers visiting the Air & Space Museum. It was closing time, so there was a crowd leaving the building together. As the group moved towards the door, I started to hear a few of the teenagers quietly say, 'Thank you,' to the veterans. Soon, their friends joined in and they tried to reach out to each of the veterans. Some even asked to take their pictures with the South Dakota group! One mom remarked, 'I can't believe that is my daughter.' It was an unexpected and impressive show of respect.
Before we left on this third Honor Flight, reporter Karla Ramaekers told me it would be a life-changing experience and she was right. I am so honored to have been able to go along on the journey with the veterans from the Aberdeen area. I'd like to thank the Honor Flight Board of Directors for inviting KELO to be a part of the trip, plus the guardians and medical staff who watched over the veterans. But most of all, I would like to thank the veterans for sharing their stories, their service and their sacrifices.
Be sure to visit the Honor Flight page for more stories from this latest trip. There are also video clips in uShare Reports and pictures in the uShare Photo Gallery.
2:30 PM
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