Washington, D.C
Veterans visit D.C. ahead of Memorial Day with Honor Flight Tri-State
Army widow describes the emotional power of a military honor guard
Will there be enough VFW-involved veterans to present military honors at funerals including the bugle-call of Taps, a 21-gun salute and the folding and presentation of an American flag to family members of those who have died?
On Wednesday, 88 military veterans flew from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport to Washington D.C. for a whirlwind tour of monuments and memorials put on by Honor Flight Tri-State.
But the tour is just part of it. The nonprofit, with its 18 years of experience, has made it so the typical hassles of travel disappear and the vets can focus on connecting with each other and the public. Director Cheryl Popp has led 87 flights herself.
More: Cheryl Popp ‘lives the mission of Honor Flight Tri-State,’ says volunteer
They shared laughs and tears and a raucous homecoming that many of them missed the first time they returned from overseas.
Honor Flight Tri-State started in 2006. Over the years, their flights and buses have gone from being filled with World War II veterans to nearly all Vietnam- and Cold War-era veterans. Even those who served during the Korean War are seldom seen these days.
The organization tries to accommodate everyone with the smoothest trip possible. The normal security checks are bypassed, there are always enough wheelchairs and there’s a team of volunteer medics that accompany every trip. In D.C., the buses even get the occasional police escort.
As one volunteer said, the military is a lot of hurry-up-and-wait, so on these trips, they’ve removed as much waiting as possible.
It’s made possible with an army of volunteers and hundreds of thousands of dollars of donations.
“We will leave no one behind,” the organization states.
Honor Flight Tri-State is doing four trips a year. The trips cost veterans nothing. They just have to apply online. Any veteran 65 or older is eligible whether they served overseas or stateside.
Here are some of their stories.
Reynolds Robertson
Reynolds Robertson, a Clermont County Air Force veteran, touches the flag as he passes underneath it with his daughter Amandalouise Robertson.
The flag send-off has become a tradition for Honor Flight Tri-State.
Robertson said his family has over 300 years of military service dating back at least three generations. On Memorial Day, he’ll be cleaning up five small cemeteries around Clermont County with other Disabled American Veterans members.
Terry Reid
Terry Reid is a Marine who served in Vietnam.
He was enlisted from 1963 to 1967 and served in a mortar infantry battalion there.
After he returned home, he was in the Reserves for over 22 years, worked as a police officer at the University of Cincinnati for 31 years and worked another 11 years at Hughes High School.
His daughter, Karla Tolbert also served in the Army Reserves. “I just feel my patriotism has grown 100%,” Tolbert said of the trip.
David Barry
David Barry visited the Arlington National Cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater in Washington, D.C., traveling with other veterans and his daughter, Sonya Williams, on the honor flight from Ohio.
Barry served in the Marines from 1966 to 1970. He was wounded twice in Vietnam and had to be taken to Japan on a medevac helicopter.
“This is the welcome home,” Barry said of the trip.
“When I came back from Vietnam there wasn’t anybody there. A lot of vets didn’t even say they were in Vietnam back in the day.”
Paul Dargis
Paul Dargis calls people “man” and sometimes “dude.”
He is an Army veteran who spent his service from 1968 to 1972 in Key West and Germany. His brother was a Vietnam vet “who didn’t talk about it,” Paul said.
He said his time was “like heaven” with real food, a bowling alley and even a bar.
Dargis said he hesitated to go on the honor flight and felt guilty because his service was relatively easy, but his brother reassured, saying, “You served. You served.”
Russel Abney
Russel Abney is a Navy veteran. He was on the USS Belknap, a guided missile frigate, during the Vietnam War cruising the Tonkin Gulf and coordinating strike groups.
“The hardest thing to do was to keep the pilots from trying to run down the MIG-15s,” he laughed. “They would come out and they’d tease and they’d get them to chase them back, but that was nothing more than a trap.”
He said the attitudes toward the military have changed so much in 50 years.
“If you wore a uniform back then, they just assumed you were over there killing people who should have been killed,” he said.
“Today, it’s so much different. I can go to Kroger and people will come up to me say, ‘Thank you for your service.’”
Randall Roth
Air Force veteran Randall Roth enlisted in 1966, about 24 years before Air Force Master Sgt. Tiffany Davis, a soldier also visiting the U.S. Air Force Memorial in Washington, D.C., was even born.
He spent time in the Philippines and then was assigned to an Air Force base in Louisiana servicing B-52 bombers.
Roth said he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and wanted to relist, which would have let him rise to the rank Davis had achieved. However, he ended his service after four years because his parents got sick.
Vince Albers
Army veteran Vincent Albers became close to a set of twins during his basic training back in 1968. He had heard rumors they were both killed in Vietnam.
He asked for help looking up their names at the Vietnam Memorial during the trip, but the guide could not find them.
“Maybe that’s good news,” he said.
Albers served stateside during the Vietnam War. He mainly did funeral details for returning veterans. The secondary job of his unit was being stationed on White House grounds during the massive protests during the war.
“To keep your sanity, you had to separate yourself from your job because we were burying on average three people per week,” Albers said. “It takes a toll. It could have been us.”
Today’s news brings a lot of it back for Albers.
“The lack of empathy in the world that we still have wars. Thousands of people dying because of political idiots,” he said. “The amount of death, unnecessary. It brings back a whole lot of memories. The death is what brings back the memories.”
Jim English
Air Force veteran Jim English brought a handwritten list of people he had lost in the Vietnam War. During his honor flight visit Wednesday, he found all their names on the memorial wall and photographed them.
During the early years of Honor Flight Tri-State, the organizers spent the longest stretch of the day at the World War II Memorial. Now, most of the veterans on the trips served during the Vietnam War so the tour spends more time at that memorial.
The names of the Vietnam War Memorial are listed in chronological order of when they died. Jim English paused at one spot with his son, James English. Together they found five names grouped together.
“They were all on the same plane,” he told his son.
All told, English said he lost nine people in Vietnam. “It’s stupid having wars,” he said. “The whole secret, it’s like when somebody calls you a name, don’t call it back.”
2 men shot, killed in Temple Hills
Authorities in Prince George’s County are investigating a deadly double shooting that left two men dead in Temple Hills late Tuesday night.
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. – A man has been charged with shooting and killing two teenagers in Temple Hills late Tuesday night.
What we know:
The suspect has been identified as 27-year-old Duan Goddard of Fort Washington. Goddard is currently in custody in Washington, DC, pending extradition to Prince George’s County.
The victims have been identified as 16-year-old Thomas Smith, Jr. of Washington, D.C., and 16-year-old Michael Bassett of Temple Hills.
Deadly shooting in Temple Hills
Prince George’s County Police were in the area of the 5500 block of Haras Place when they heard the sound of gunshots at 9:35 p.m. The officers canvassed the area and located the two teen victims outside an apartment building in the 5200 block of Haras Place.
Police say Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. Bassett died a short time later at a hospital. A third teenager who was with the victims was also shot at but was not struck, according to police.
Goddard is charged with first and second-degree murder and related charges.
We share the best things to do every weekend in The Weekend Scene newsletter – it’s free to subscribe!
AAPI Heritage Month is coming to a close. Watch our special here, then consider stopping by one of the restaurants or cultural centers we highlighted before the month is out.
But as one month-long cultural celebration ends, another — Pride Month — begins. We’ve got our big guide to WorldPride here.
Jazz in the Garden is here! The lottery for this weekend’s concert on May 30 is already closed, but it’s not too late to register for first one in June.
Pools are open, if you’re willing to brave the cold and rain to jump on in. Our own Juliana Valencia tried it, and you can too after picking a spot from our handy dandy pool guide.
If you’re craving ocean air, maybe a semi-spontaneous beach trip is in the cards? There are plenty of sandy spots in driving range from the District. We’ve got a list.
Here’s what to do this weekend in the Washington, D.C. area.
What to do in Washington, D.C.
Shakespeare Theatre Company’s “Frankenstein”: Opens Tues., Klein Theatre in Northwest D.C., $39+
WorldPride Film Festival: Tue.-Thurs., Alamo Drafthouse Cinema – D.C. Bryant Street & Crystal City and Atlas Performing Arts Center
World Pride Black Queer Film Festival: Tue.-Thurs., 6-9 p.m., Blackburn Digital Auditorium at Howard University, free
CiNeMatic – “Coco”: Weds., Alethia Tanner Park, free
District of Pride Showcase: Wed., 7 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, free
Wet and Julie Byrne: Wed., 8 p.m., Union Stage, $33+
Street Fest Art Gallery Openings: Thurs., 5:30-8:30 p.m., Union Market District
Sunset Cinema: Thurs., 7 p.m., Transit Pier at The Wharf, free
First Sips of Summer: Fri., 5-10 p.m., Smoke & Mirrors, $70+
DC Defenders vs. St. Louis Battlehawks: Fri., 8 p.m., Audi Field
National Arboretum extended hours: Fri., Open until 8 p.m., Northeast D.C., free
Washington Mystics vs. New York Liberty (Pride Night): Fri., 7:30 p.m., CareFirst Arena in Southeast D.C., $62+
Jazz In the Garden: Fri., 6-8:30 p.m., National Gallery of Art, free (registration required)
Extraordinary Cinema: The Bourne Identity: Fri., 8:30 p.m., The Reach Lawn at the Kennedy Center, free
Ctrl+Alt+Connect: Spritz Sol Flow: Sat., 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Eckington Hall, $58.30
Scavenger Hunt of the Smithsonians: Sat., 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., $20
(D)rafts and (C)rafts: Sat., 1-6 p.m., DC Brau, $10-55
34th Annual Glover Park Day: Sat., 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Guy Mason Recreation Center
Newark Street Community Garden 50th Anniversary Celebration: Sat., 1-3 p.m., Newark Street Community Garden, free
Color Me Calm: An Adult Coloring Experience: Sat., 2-5 p.m., Anacostia Arts Center, $30
An Evening In Paris at the Embassy of France: Sat., 7-11 p.m., Embassy of France, $99+
Jazz In the Heights Festival: Sat.-Sun., Sycamore & Oak, free (reserved tickets)
Project Glow ‘25: Sat.-Sun., RFK Festival Grounds, $105+Crochet Classes with Fairy Ring Fibers: Sun., 11 a.m., Rhizome DC, pay what you wish ($35 recommended)
What to do in Maryland
Metallica M72 World Tour: Weds., 6 p.m., Northwest Stadium Landover, $63-$150
Washington Mystics vs. Indiana Fever: Weds., 7:30 p.m., CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, $101+
Pride Night @ Chesapeake Baysox: Thurs., 5 p.m., Prince Georges Stadium, free
A Taste of Riverworks: Sat., 11 a.m., Poolesville, free
Annapolis Pride Parade & Festival: Sat., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Calvert & Bladen Sts. Annapolis, free
EFFERVESCENT: A Pride Social: Sat., 7-11 p.m., Creative Suitland Arts Center, $17.85
In the Life: A LGBTQIA + Pride Celebration: Sat., noon to 5 p.m., Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex, free
Salute the Sunset: United States Air Force Concert Band: Sat., 7-8 p.m., National Harbor, free
Pride Family Day: Sun., 11 a.m., Glen Echo Park, free
DMG plays Bowies Summer Sunset: Sun., 6 p.m., Allen Pond Park, free
What to do in Virginia
Thursday Night Trivia: Thurs., 6 p.m., The Spot at Belmont Bay, $25 per team
Lake Anne Sunset Paddle: Thurs., 7-8:30 p.m., Lake Anne Boat Dock, $20
Sunset Concert at River Farm Featuring Soulfire: Thurs., 6-8 p.m., American Horticultural Society’s River Farm, $20 parking (free admission)
Chicago the Musical: Fri.-Sun., Capital One Hall, $80+
Fab Fridays Live Music: All Fired Up: Fri., 7 p.m.., Reston Metro Plaza, free
Arlington Pride Vendor Festival: Sat., 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Hyatt Regency DCA, free
Nature Journaling Club: Sat., 10 a.m., Del Ray Artisans Gallery, free (bring your own supplies)
Loudon Pride Festival: Sat., 12-6 p.m., Ida Lee Park, $5
Virginia Wine Festival: Sat.-Sun., Tyson’s Corner, $55+
Big Lick Comic Con NOVA: Sat.-Sun., Dulles Expo Center, $25+
Movie at the Mill – ‘Pride & Prejudice’: Sat., 8:30 p.m., Colvin Run Mill, $1016th Annual Taste of Del Ray: Sun., 1-3 p.m., Mount Vernon Recreation Center Fields, $10-$75
A stray shot flew into a man’s home in Northwest D.C. on Sunday evening and killed him, police say they believe according to an initial investigation.
The man was 59-year-old Jose Carcamo of Northwest D.C.
Officers were called to an apartment building in the 1500 block of Ogden Street, in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, at about 6:20 p.m., Executive Asst. Chief Andre Wright told reporters later Sunday.
The man was found in an apartment suffering from a gunshot wound. D.C. medics treated the man but he died, Wright said, calling his death “tragic.”
D.C. police have not yet made any arrests, but they say Carcamo was not the intended target.
“We don’t believe that this shooting, which happened in the rear of this location, has anything to do with him,” Wright said.
It started as a normal Sunday evening. Carcamo was eating dinner at his home in Columbia Heights. His mom was in another room when she heard the sound of gunshots and rushed to check on him, only to realize he’d been killed.
Carcamo’s mom lives in El Salvador and had to come to D.C. to spend Mother’s Day with her son.
He worked in construction and was in the process of building a house for her in their home country.
Officers were searching for clues and working to speak with potential witnesses. No information on a suspect was released.
Police will seek justice for the victim, his family and his community, Wright said.
“We can’t shrink in fear. I think that’s what these perpetrators want – but they’re wrong. And so we intend to stand alongside this family and community and bring justice to this community, and for as long as it takes, stay here to help restore the sense of peace that every community deserves,” he said.
Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police. A $25,000 reward for information is available.
Police say they’re now trying to find surveillance video to help with the investigation, as Carcamo’s mom is now left to grieve her son.
D.C. crime statistics show homicides are down 8% this year compared to the same period last year, with 61 victims this year and 66 last year. Reports of violent crime are down 22%.
Police records show in the past five years, the area around Ogden Street has had seven homicides, 52 assaults with a dangerous weapon and 101 robberies.
One neighbor said it’s why he’s planning to move out.
“People want to feel safe in their neighborhoods, and I just have not ever felt safe in this one,” said neighbor Nacho Echazarreta.
Several other neighbors didn’t want to be identified but also told News4 they feel unsafe in the area.
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