WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – A group of veterans participated in a once in a lifetime trip: an all-expensive paid visit to Washington, D.C. to see how their service is being honored.

31 veterans from Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri were flown to the nation’s capital as part of Great River Honor Flight’s 79th mission. The organization has sent more than 2,500 veterans from the Tri-State region to D.C. since the very first flight in 2009.

For some in attendance, it marks their first visit to Washington to see the war memorials, including the Vietnam, Korean War, and World War II memorials located around the National Mall.

One attendee – Ed Brant, an Army Vietnam War veteran – flew in from Missouri. He and his son enjoyed their visit to the monuments so much, he’s planning on returning to Washington for an extended trip.

“It’s an honor to serve the country,” Brant said, “and I really think they should honor all services.”

While Brant spent two years in Vietnam, his goal was instead to visit the Korean War Veterans Memorial and find the name of his brother.

“My brother was K.I.A in Korea, and I went to count his name off the wall,” explained Brant.

For Emmett Monks, a Navy Vietnam veteran, participating in an honor flight is a chance to share a part of history and reunite with the lives touched by war decades later.

“Got to see the [Vietnam] wall,” said Monks. “That’s the main attraction. The folks with the tour and everything… puts a lot of old souls back together.”

Veterans were also able to visit Arlington National Cemetery and watch the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier before boarding a flight back home.

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An ice sculpture of the word “Democracy” was spotted melting in the middle of Washington DC as Americans despair at the state of their country’s governance.

Ahead of this weekend’s “No Kings” protest against Donald Trump and his administration on Saturday (18 October), a giant ice sculpture was unveiled on the National Mall on Wednesday.

The installation, titled “Last Call – DemocracyICED”, was the work of New York City artists Marshall Reese and Nora Ligorano, who have been behind similar installations in the past, and was commissioned by the Up In Arms campaign.

The entire sculpture was 17-by-5-foot in size, weighed 3,000 pounds (1360 kg) and was placed in view of the Capitol building. An almost 8-hour long time-lapse video captured it as it melted away to nothing.

“It’s hard being an American to think that we need pro-democracy advocacy actions and groups, but that’s what we do,” Reese explained.

The organisers said the artwork was a visual representation symbolising “America’s weakened democracy and the costs of its failure amid growing militarism and authoritarianism” under Trump’s administration.

“Democracy to D(e)cay,” someone wrote in response to images shared online.

Another wrote: “Democracy fading into decay is ridiculously poignant.”

“Democracy functions when people participate in it. Participate in elections or participate in working and communicating with their elected officials,” Reese added . “We’d like to see more of that happen.”

“It’s an homage to what is and what once was,” said Nora Ligorano.

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