BAKERSFIELD, CA -- Seventy five Kern County veterans spent the day in our nation's capitol, touring the war memorials built in their honor, and much more.
The first stop, Arlington National Cemetery. At the Tomb of the Unknowns, our honor flight veterans joined several thousand other visitors for the changing of the guard. A ceremony performed with razor-sharp precision every hour of every day.
On the way back to our buses, dozens of school children visiting from Ohio and Tennessee stopped to salute Honor Flight. The day was punctuated by other impromptu surprises, World war surprises. World War II veteran Bill Davies suddenly finds himself surrounded by his grandson and his family, his grandson a legislative liaison for the Army at the Pentagon. "We're just so proud of him, I'm proud to be his grandson. He's always been a role model for his his hard work. It's just overwhelming."
And the pinnacle of the tour, the World War II memorial, an awe-inspiring structure erected to honor the world-changing sacrifices of our nation's greatest generation. "It's fabulous, this memorial, it's just so fabulous, and it took so long to get here."
Steady rain showers drove us back into the buses at midday. We detoured to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum for some bonus tourist time. Skies cleared by late afternoon and nearly 50 Korean War veterans got to see the memorial dedicated in their honor in 1995 inside a walled triangle, 19 larger-than-life stainless steel statues, representing a squadron on patrol, drawn from each branch of the service. Polished volcanic rock of the 58,195 service members who died or are missing in action from the war in Southeast Asia.
So despite some inclement weather, we managed to get it all in, as we some unexpected time visiting the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. And Thursday, our honor flight tour will culminate with a barbecue at the US Navy yard for 11,500 service members, plus the 150 members of Honor Flight, catered by none other than Bakersfield's own "Cooks from the Valley."
The first stop, Arlington National Cemetery. At the Tomb of the Unknowns, our honor flight veterans joined several thousand other visitors for the changing of the guard. A ceremony performed with razor-sharp precision every hour of every day.
On the way back to our buses, dozens of school children visiting from Ohio and Tennessee stopped to salute Honor Flight. The day was punctuated by other impromptu surprises, World war surprises. World War II veteran Bill Davies suddenly finds himself surrounded by his grandson and his family, his grandson a legislative liaison for the Army at the Pentagon. "We're just so proud of him, I'm proud to be his grandson. He's always been a role model for his his hard work. It's just overwhelming."
And the pinnacle of the tour, the World War II memorial, an awe-inspiring structure erected to honor the world-changing sacrifices of our nation's greatest generation. "It's fabulous, this memorial, it's just so fabulous, and it took so long to get here."
Steady rain showers drove us back into the buses at midday. We detoured to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum for some bonus tourist time. Skies cleared by late afternoon and nearly 50 Korean War veterans got to see the memorial dedicated in their honor in 1995 inside a walled triangle, 19 larger-than-life stainless steel statues, representing a squadron on patrol, drawn from each branch of the service. Polished volcanic rock of the 58,195 service members who died or are missing in action from the war in Southeast Asia.
So despite some inclement weather, we managed to get it all in, as we some unexpected time visiting the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. And Thursday, our honor flight tour will culminate with a barbecue at the US Navy yard for 11,500 service members, plus the 150 members of Honor Flight, catered by none other than Bakersfield's own "Cooks from the Valley."