World War II veteran is grateful for Honors Flight

From the moment we stepped out of the shuttle from our hotel we were treated as royalty. Upon entering the Billings airport we were directed to an area where we received a backpack (containing a booklet with names of all veterans on the flight, and snacks), jacket, cap and two T-shirts, all announcing “Big Sky Honor Flight – Montana.” 

Breakfast was provided. We were given boarding passes. Most of us checked our baggage so we would not be burdened with it. The only security check was to show photo ID and boarding pass as we entered the gate area for our flight.

We boarded a Sun Country Airlines Boeing 737  and departed about 8 a.m. We arrived at Dulles International Airport about 1:30 p.m. where we were greeted by a large crowd of grateful Americans who thanked us for our service, including a band. 

We were assigned a bus according to color (yellow, green, blue), and I happened to be on the blue bus. There was also a van for wheelchair access. There were also 60 wheelchairs on the trip for anyone who felt a need to be pushed while at the memorials. 

We left Dulles about 3 p.m. to visit the Lincoln, Vietnam and Korean memorials.

The hour-and-a-half we had at the memorials was emotional, as well as uplifting, thinking about our nation’s past and those who willingly gave the ultimate sacrifice in defending our nation. We thank the 70-plus helpers who mingled with the veterans to help in any way needed. They were a great help in taking pictures with our cameras so we could be in the picture. We departed for the Crystal City Marriott in Arlington, Va., for our overnight stay.

Our group arrived at the hotel about 5:30 p.m. My son, Michael, met me at the hotel for a short visit before the reception and banquet which were held in the Potomac Ballroom. Before dinner we were honored with the presentation of colors: Armed Forces Color Guard from the military district of Washington. 

After dinner, a presentation of donors was given and a message from our elected officials. We thank all those who have contributed so much to make this, and future, Honor Flights possible. Without the generous gifts of our donors and the endless work of the committee to work out all the details, this could not happen.

Breakfast was served in the ballroom. We left the hotel about 8:30 a.m. for a tour around the city, including the Capitol building and the White House. The highlight of the trip was entering and enjoying the World War II Memorial. 

They arranged for a group picture to be taken at the memorial – no easy task in getting almost 90 veterans situated. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester spoke to us briefly. The senators also stood at the Montana pillar where they were photographed with some of the veterans.

The next stop was the Arlington National Cemetery, where we were privileged to view the changing of the guard. The cherry blossoms were a little past their peak, but were still very beautiful. 

As we were leaving, we were given very generous box lunches. The balance of the trip to other memorials we had a police escort – ran many red lights. What an honor!

The Iwo Jima Memorial is very impressive – to realize that these brave Marines risked their lives to plant the colors on the top of Mt. Suribachi.

The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial was our final stop. It consists of a prologue room and four other rooms stretching for one and a half blocks. Each room has a waterfall, getting increasingly larger in each room. There are many sculptures of the President and Eleanor and people of the Depression-era. Many of the president’s quotations are etched in the granite stone.

We departed Dulles at 7 p.m., arriving back in Billings about 8:30 p.m. to a huge crowd of well-wishers honoring our service as World War II veterans.

I, personally, want to thank the Big Sky Honor Flight Committee for their dedication in arranging for this wonderful, humbling, fantastic opportunity to visit history. 

I would certainly encourage any veterans of World War II to take advantage of future Honor Flights. There are two more flights scheduled for this year.

(Richard R. Miner, a Libby resident, served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from July 1943 to September 1945.)