Iowa WW-II Veterans Honor Flight

[liberal N proud]

I was lucky enough to spend Wednesday in Washington DC with my 89 year old father who served in WW-II.

As promised, here are some photos of our day with the WW-II veterans from Iowa.

There were more than 350 Iowa Veterans who were able to make this trip. Hy Vee Food Stores based in Iowa sponsored this trip, chartering a 747 to ferry the veterans, volunteers and medical support from Des Moines to Washington Dulles.
Each Veteran was presented with a Yellow Jacket, T-Shirt Ball Cap to commemorate their visit and an envelope of letters from Iowa school kids thanking them. They were escorted to the airport by Des Moines Police and a veterans motorcycle group.

There are several pictures of their departure and the going away Iowa gave them here at this link: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=D2&Dato=20091104&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=911040801&Ref=PH
Courtesy of the Des Moines Register.


It was a fantastic day in Washington


They arrived in Washington on 13 chartered buses from Dulles International airport.


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The Governor of Iowa was present to welcome the Veterans


The Veterans had plenty of time to tour the memorial and visit




There were volunteers and others through out the Memorial and DC thanking every Veteran who passed near them


These gentlemen are some of the last of the greatest generation from my home town

They are part of the fabric that I was raised on.

After taking enough time to see all the WW-II Memorial it was time to load up the buses.



The volunteers had this very organized, each veteran was color coded to a bus and a volunteer had a checklist with names.
We were allowed to board the bus with them at this point and join them on their tour of other memorials.


The visited the Korean War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Wall




Following these memorials the Veterans were bused to Arlington and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to witness the changing of the guard


Before heading back to Dulles and their flight back to Iowa the Veterans were treated to a visit to the Marines Memorial also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial after dark


And this view of Washington DC


This is where we departed company with my father and found our way to the metro.

Thanks to all those who served in WW-II and other wars. And thanks to those volunteers who helped make this possible for our veterans to visit the memorial. Thanks to Hy Vee Food Stores for their generosity.

[Inspired]

1. It's a small world! My co-worker was on this trip with her dad too.

Did you notice the group of people standing on Fleur Drive by Gray's Lake? That was a group from my company waving at the veterans.

[liberal N proud]

2. I only joined my dad in DC

I didn't get to see the Des Moines segment, I was relaying what my dad and others said was a wonderful send off.

They said 1/2 of Des Moines must have shown up to send them off at 5:00 AM.

There were 4 other Honor Flight groups there that day while we were waiting for the Iowa vets, Iowa was by far the largest with 13 buses.

[Captain Hilts]

3. Thanks for these photographs - and your dad for his service. nt

[Individualist]

4. Thanks for sharing.

The number of WWII vets is diminishing so rapidly now. Sad to see them go.

[YvonneCa]

5. What a wonderful sight! Isn't the memorial...

...beautiful? I was there about a month ago with my mom. My dad didn't get to go, but I could just imagine how he would have loved a trip such as that. It's great that you were able to join your dad for that special moment. Thank you for posting your pictures. :patriot:

[maglatinavi]

6. WW II

Thanks!!! I was 10 when my great French Uncle was sadly told by his sons that the Maginot Line in France had fallen. One of my uncles was in the 65th Infantry regiment in Africa and the invasion of Italy.. (An only Puerto Rican regiment, dispersed after WW II) Other cousins were in the military also. My heart almost burst with sadness and emotion seeing those pictures. My brother is a retired Colonel and was in Nam Twice. Thanks!!!
On the other hand, my heart is heavy with the loss and wounding of so many soldiers in Fort Hood, most of them young. What a horrific thing to have happened!!!
:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[lpbk2713]

7. A thank you to you and to HyVee

... but more importantly, thank you to them.


:patriot:

[corpseratemedia]

8. what great photos! Wonderful to accompany your father - you will always cherish it.

I wish my dad on the 50th anniv. reunion could have done a similar trip. I am glad though I did go to his reunion with him. He's buried in Arlington.:cry:

[boobooday]

9. It looks like a wonderful event - these are great photos

Love the WWII memorial. Very nice.

[proteus_lives]

10. Thank you to your father for his service.

Both my granddads served in WWII. My mother's father on the U.S.S. Enterprise and my father's father in the army in North Africa and Europe. (He won a Silver Star at the Battle of the Bulge.)


:patriot:

[AwakeAtLast]

11. So glad they were able to go!

Thanks for posting - great timing, too - also a great tribute for Veteran's Day this week!

[liberaltrucker]

12. A big salute to your dad!

:patriot:

Give him my thanks for doing his part in keeping us free.

:applause: