Blogs
Morning Stroll at WWII Memorial
As I made my way around the WWII Memorial this AM, schoolchildren from East Islip, Michigan were setting up for a band and choral performance and kids from Brandon, Mississippi were just laying out a wreath under the supervision of parents and teachers. Workers were cleaning the pool for Memorial Day. It was the last day […]
Whole lot of shaking going on….
Walking across the WWII Memorial Plaza with Bob Dole takes a long time… as much as four hours and he’s impervious to the sun. In today’s pictures, you’ll find we encountered everything and everybody: a group of motorcycle police, an “inventor”, then a “submariner” and a red-haired family and then a group of Navy guys […]
Sirens Wailing
As the Honor Flight planes leave the airports, they are often escorted by contingents of motorcycle police…today by the Arlington County Police Department who brought their bikes up on the walk for a picture with Senator Dole at the World War II Memorial. The Arlington County police just finished a week of escort duty as […]
One Citizen Walking….
Everyday, George H. Kerestes who works for the U.S. Department of Energy takes his “constitutional” and strolls from his office near the Capitol to the WWII Memorial to greet vets and express his gratitude for their service. Some days, he wears his “flag” tie, other days his volunteer Honor Flight shirt but he’s always a […]
Georgia arrives in force…Roswell and Fayetteville
Accompanied by a dozen (see photo site) or so Harley Davidson Police Motorcycles, sirens wailing, the Roswell and Fayetteville Georgia Honor Flight/Air Groups arrived at the World War II Memorial and of course Senator Dole was there to greet them.I am now by his reckoning the “best photographer in the country” and I think he’s the “best Senator in the […]
White House News Photographers Recognize Honor Flight
1000 members and guests of the White House News Photographers arose to applaud Honor Flight and WWII Veterans Ed George and Al Dunn who were part of Earl Morse’s first flights in the small planes. They are shown here with two young women who won first place as camerawomen in the Military Photographer of the […]
Sixteen Pipers Piping at World War II Memorial
In a novel twist, this Saturday’s flights from Poplar Bluff, Mo, Louisana, Asheville and Columbus were met by not just one bagpiper but sixteen pipers who played around the World War II Memorial for several hours. Imagine the sound of sixteen pipers piping. Great stuff!! Joe Polhemus of the Columbus flight was surrounded with pipers. On […]
Tracy Briggs on Service
I asked Tracy Briggs about her service as coordinator of WDAY Honor Flight. She said: “Another WDAY WWII Honor Flight is history and is it a cliche to say this was our best one yet? I’ve felt that way about each of our 4 trips! We have had the pleasure of taking about 675 WWII […]
Texas…
J. Burton, a bagpiper from the Coast Guard lead the Texas contingent under the eagles and down onto the World War II Memorial proper. The bagpipe is a beautiful instrument must be hard to practice at home!!! Al Bailey was along to give them some help. If anyone knows where I can buy one of […]
Escorting the new flights were…
Jeff Miller and his wife Tam rolled into the Memorial with the South Carolina flight. Jeff, who introduced the “lets charter a jet” concept to Honor Flight has run out of vets to transport in the Hendersonville, North Carolina and is working with other groups to help them through the intricacies of getting the vets […]
Greenville, South Carolina Inaugural Flight….
Mayor Dennis Waldrop and his wife Betty organized and helped raise money for the group from Greenville, South Carolina to visit the World War II Memorial. Nice to see a Mayor who cares so deeply about his community. A group of young boys were talking to the bugler Roland Sluder and their astonishment of his tales […]
Chuck Kennedy, photographer ….
It’s a treat when my best friends stop down and we have the oppotunity to take some pictures together. Chuck Kennedy (left), an award-winning photographer and a very old friend and I had the opportunity to “touch elbows” as we photographed the Texas group at the WWII Memorial. Chuck was working with writer David Montgomery […]
Honor Flight Kansas – Student Edition
Lyndon, Kansas Honor flight was at World War II Memorial. Brian Spencer, Superintendent of the Lyndon, Kansas school system has been in twice this year and I believe he is doing another couple of trips. He always brings his students and they really put a lot of effort into a beautiful ceremony. He wrote the following: […]
It’s all in the details…
On Saturday, May 3rd, there were 800 veterans at the World War II Memorial. They came from Fargo, ND, Michigan, Dayton, Akron-Canton, Missouri, Long Island, Louisiana, Toledo, Kansas and Miami, Ohio. Everything went extraordinarily well: tents, food, oxygen, wheelchairs, scooters, wreaths, ground crew, etc… Much of this Saturday’s coordination was done by Susan Barr and […]
Book Sale at the FDR Memorial
“Jewel of the Mall” is available at every bookstore and Museum in town. The only place you can’t buy it is at the WWII Memorial. However, just four blocks away, Linda Smith who runs the bookstore at the FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) Memorial has a sale going with a set of four frameable 5×7 postcards […]
Kilroy temporarily in hiding….
In case you are looking for Kilroy at the WWII Memorial and can’t find him, he’s still in the stairway to the maintainence area just behind the Delaware Pillar. It’s difficult to see him right now as there is construction going on. He can only be seen from a distance. You should be looking for […]
WWII Fighter Plane Restoration
Senator Dole is shown here with Eric Trueblood of North Dakota who rebuilds antique WWII planes and is currently at work on gathering the parts for P51 Mustang fighter planes– a unique job with unique customers. The WWII Memorial is an amazing world which comes to you. Talking with this young man about restoring these […]
My New Assistants
Marian Watkins, an attorney on the Senator’s staff and her husband Seth have gone into training as my assistants. Seth has become especially adept and he claims to be able to juggle three cameras while photographing. And his command of the crowds is both pleasant and efficient. These lawyers are pretty handy when you need them. […]
Seven State Festival… Fargo goes wild!
Saturday, May 3rd was particularly exciting at the World War II Memorial. Honor Flight groups from seven states participated during the weekend. It began with dinner at the Hyatt on Friday night with Tracy Briggs. As usual, she said this is her “last trip” (we hope not!!) for the WDAY North Dakota Group. Senator Dorgan […]
Kansas at World War II Memorial
Congresswoman Nancy Boyda, Jerry Moran and Senator Dole posed for a picture with the Kansas Honor Flight. Despite the fact that it was mid-week, I believe there were four separate flights that came into the World War II Memorial.. It should be quite a Summer. Honor Flight is featured in Jewel of the Mall: World […]
First Flights: Birmingham, Alabama
Amy McDonald and Pam Nichols stand next to Senator Dole and Congresswoman Kaptur at an Honor Flight Press Briefing held at the WWII Memorial. This was Alabama’s first flight and according to Amy “we had a great day and I’m still swirling in all the emotion. It was our first flight and we learned a […]
Emerald Coast Honor Flight
Emerald Coast Honor Flight was first on the scene yesterday and it seemed there were as many guardians and staff as Veterans. Congressman Jeff Miller of Florida was on hand to greet the Veterans. A particularly moving wreath ceremony was held centered on the reflecting pool with the Lincoln in the background. There were 130 […]
Dole and Kaptur visit with Honor Flight at WWII Memorial
It was an epic day. Senator Dole and Congresswoman Marcie Kaptur visited with WWII veterans at the WWII Memorial today. Marcie Kaptur proposed the legislation and ushered it through Congress and Senator Dole made the rest happen by raising the 200 million dollars necessary to build the Memorial. They both must have felt enormous satisfaction. […]
Duos….
Myron Nolish from California and his grandaughter Becky were at the WWII Memorial this weekend with Jim McLaughlin. It’s nice to see these generations together and to bear witness to the love that prompted these two to travel together. And speaking of love…Also at the Memorial this weekend were husband and wife in uniform Belle […]