Blogs
Chicago’s Mary Pettinato….first visit
I’ve been talking to Mary Pettinato of Chicago and watching her success in promoting Honor Flight. It was delightful to finally meet her with her group. She is seen here with Robert ____who she claimed was her “favorite veteran”….but I think she says that to all the guys!! Chicago for some reason always has a […]
Unsung Heroes
Too frequently, I overlook Jim McLaughlin, the president of Honor Flight, who specializes in Lone Eagle and TLC flights–flights for those vets who for health reasons need to travel to the World War II Memorial right away or are geographically out of reach or for some reason or another, unable to join regularly scheduled flights. […]
Touring the Bas Reliefs at the World War II Memorial
As I mentioned earlier, Senator Dole joined the veterans as Earl Morse was giving them the tour of the bas reliefs which greet the visitor from the front entrance to the World War II Memorial. The twenty four bas reliefs contain 255 figures and their construction is what lead me to initially begin this project. […]
Honor Flight Michigan again!!!
Honor Flight Michigan lead by Rick Sage was in for the sixth trip of the year. Dave Cameron must be proud!!!! It was absolutely the smoothest day of all. I got the group picture and after a flag ceremony, Earl Morse lead them off on a tour of the Memorial and Senator Dole strolled in […]
Of Note at World War II Memorial
These volunteers and soon to be graduates from Aberdeen Proving grounds showed up to say hello to the Honor Flight group. And a first for Honor Flight! Senator Dole greeted a young couple (send us your names!!) who had come down to the WWII Memorial as part of their wedding celebration. He’s active status and […]
Horsing around…
Thirty years ago, I did a story for National Geographic “Kids Magazine” about how they trained the National Park Service horses to work so closely and safely with people. The horses will put up with just about anything including fireworks underneath them, loud noises, sudden noises, explosions, traffic, riots, and are trained in the stables […]
Honor Flight Franklin County Missouri….
If you ain’t having a good time with Jim Tayon, it’s just possible you’ll never have a good time! This must be his fourth or fifth trip this year and he always looks like the cat that just got that bird!! Anyway, today he and his partners in crime, one of them being a judge, […]
Cleveland at World War II Memorial
Today was probably the most beautiful day DC has had since the last really beautiful day which was yesterday so it was with great timing that Gene O’Quinn sailed into town from Honor Flight Cleveland with 110 people. They met with Senator Dole at the World War II Memorial and held both a Wreath and […]
Dynamic Duo…
Of late, I’m feeling like the unelected “Mayor” of the WWII Memorial and tend to stroll up to folks and ask “what’s up?” Well today, Fred Smith, Veteran, decorated Marine and Founder and Chairman of Fedex was up. He had brought three Okinawa veterans and was doing a mini honor flight. And then along comes […]
Kansas and Missouri Celebrate Together
Kansas and Missouri flew in together and held ceremonies together both at the Kansas and Missouri pillars of the World War II Memorial. Senator Dole and Congressman Dennis Moore greeted the vets and spent time with children and grandchildren of the vets. The family ties that bind this country together are obvious in the pictures […]
Dave Cameron, Michigan Honor Flight Passes
From Jeff Miller on June 8th, 2008: “It is with a heavy heart and a somber tone that I must pass along the news that our Honor Flight Michigan founder and great friend, Dave Cameron, has died. Dave passed away this morning (Sun. 6/8) at 8:30 AM. There will be a viewing at Wm. Sullivan […]
Kilroy Returns
Located in the entrance to the service entrance of the WWII Memorial is a cartoon face with the caption “Kilroy Was Here.” For the past month, he’s been inaccessible because of the sidewalk expansion which is now finished. One of the Park Rangers told me that people who don’t know who Kilroy was have reported […]
An Early Summer
It’s rumored that the British are paid extra “tropical” pay for working in DC and today, you might very well believe that. It was 96 degrees at 10AM and the haze was on the water in front of the Jefferson. The Plaza of the WWII Memorial was also “cooking” but as usual Senator Dole and […]
Photographer?
Photographers played their part in WWII and made a treasure trove of beautiful and moving historic images. The first person to find the location of the cameraman on the bas reliefs (he’s using a Speed Graphic) gets a free book. There are I believe 255 figures in the bas reliefs along the North and South […]
Southern New Jersey’s First Flight A Rousing Success
Lt. Landers of the US Navy has become a regular “greeter” and is seen here working with the Southern New Jersey women veterans to present a wreath at the WWII Memorial. It was New Jersey’s first trip and the seventy five veterans and 40 guardians were lead by Pam Pompano and accompanid by Al Bailey of Honor […]
Parking for WWII Memorial
Jewel of the Mall: World War II Memorial is a 120 page full color photographic book on the WWII Memorial.
Bagpipers at World War II Memorial
As I sail out of my Chesapeake Bay Marina, there’s often a bagpiper sitting along the jetty. It’s a very romantic instrument so I am delighted that a variety of bagpipers show up at the World War II Memorial which is also a romantic and magical ground. A couple of weeks back, there were […]
Summer Squall
May 31, 2008. This was the first day that Honor Flight got a heavy rain….so heavy in fact that the tent was about to take off for Kansas. It was only some vigorous work by volunteers that kept it on the ground. Fortunately, it held off until late afternoon and all of the flights had […]
Tennessee Valley Visits World War II Memorial
Joe Fitzgerald of Honor Flight Tennessee Valley brought in 125 Vets and 50 guardians to the World War II Memorial. He also arranged for a flight squadron out of Florida to be present at the flag ceremony. All of the flags had been flown in their fighter jets yesterday morning. It was quite a crowd […]
Florida Vets lead by Dan Finch at World War II Memorial
Dan Finch lead his troops out of Florida and they were the first to arrive at the World War II Memorial this morning. They were led to the Florida Pillar by a bagpiper and these four amigos were the first off the bus. Dan, pictured left, has led three flights this year and is becoming […]
WWII Memorial Aircrew
Jim Alexander of Texas brought along his own air crew, his daughter, the pilot, who flew the plane up from Texas while this UFV (Unindentified Flying Vet) is to date the guy who’s uniform fits the best. These images and all of the others I took are available at a photo site where you can […]
Copyright
The Images on this site and the accompanying images of WWII Veterans and Honor Flight activities on the Photo Site are available for free download for “personal use”. You can order prints through the site but there is a charge for printing. I recommend that you simply download the images to your desktop and print them yourself. […]
Memorial Day 2008
The WWII Memorial opened four years ago on Memorial Day and has quickly become the most popular Memorial in Washington. It is airy, open, refreshing and easy on the eyes. I photographed all over the Mall yesterday but this was the first photo of the day and my major interest and obsession. I’ve had the opportunity to […]
Cheering Crowds of Children at World War II Memorial
Hastings Middle School (more than 200 of them) schoolchildren lined up on either side of the South entrance to the World War II Memorial to cheer Indiana’s vets as they left and welcome Nebraska’s veterans as they arrived at the Memorial. They were in DC to help Bill Richards celebrate his “4 Chaplains” award ceremony at […]