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.”
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Washington, D.C
7 Reasons Why You Should Visit Washington, DC in June 2024 – wyandottedaily.com
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Washington, DC is a vibrant and exciting city with something to offer everyone. From its world-renowned museums to its stunning monuments, there’s no shortage of things to see and do in the nation’s capital. And while there’s no bad time to visit DC, June is an especially great time to experience all that the city has to offer due to many exciting events around the city.
So what are you waiting for? Book your trip to Washington, DC today and experience all that the city has to offer!
The weather in DC in June is typically warm and sunny, with average temperatures in the mid-70s. This makes it ideal weather for exploring the city’s many outdoor attractions, such as the National Mall and the Smithsonian museums. And with extended daylight hours, you’ll have plenty of time to see all that the city has to offer.
June is also a great time to visit DC because of the many special events and festivals that take place during the month. These include:
1. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival
This free festival celebrates the traditional arts and culture of different regions of the United States, the United States, and around the world. It’s a great opportunity to learn about different cultures and see traditional crafts, music, and dance performances.
2. The Capital Pride Parade and Festival
This annual event celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and features a parade, festival, and other events. It’s a great opportunity to show your support for the LGBTQ+ community and celebrate diversity.
3. The National Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Season
The National Symphony Orchestra performs a variety of concerts throughout the summer at the Kennedy Center. These concerts feature a variety of music, from classical to pop to jazz. It’s a great way to enjoy a night of music under the stars.
4. The DC Jazz Festival
This annual festival celebrates jazz music and features performances by some of the world’s best jazz musicians. It’s a great opportunity to see some of the best jazz musicians in the world and experience the vibrant jazz scene in DC.
5. The Taste of DC
This annual food festival features food from over 50 of DC’s best restaurants. It’s a great opportunity to try some of the best food that DC has to offer and experience the city’s diverse culinary scene.
6. The Washington Nationals Baseball Games
The Washington Nationals are DC’s Major League Baseball team. They play their home games at Nationals Park, which is located in the Navy Yard neighborhood. Catching a Nationals game is a great way to experience the excitement of Major League Baseball and cheer on the home team.
7. The Fourth of July Fireworks
The Fourth of July is a national holiday that celebrates the independence of the United States. In DC, the Fourth of July is celebrated with a spectacular fireworks display over the National Mall. It’s a great way to see the city’s iconic monuments and celebrate the Fourth of July in style.
Culture, Best Months to Visit, Nearby Transportation, Local Food, and Best Hotels
Culture
Washington, DC is a melting pot of cultures, with people from all over the world calling the city home. This diversity is reflected in the city’s many cultural institutions, such as the Smithsonian museums, the Kennedy Center, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. DC is also home to a vibrant arts scene, with many theaters, art galleries, and music venues.
Best Months to Visit
Washington, DC is a great place to visit year-round, but the best months to visit are April, May, September, and October. During these months, the weather is typically mild and pleasant, and there are fewer tourists.
Nearby Transportation
Washington, DC is easily accessible by plane, train, and car. The city is served by three major airports: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). Amtrak trains connect DC to cities all over the United States, and the city is also served by several major highways.
Local Food
Washington, DC is a great place to try a variety of local foods. Some of the city’s most popular dishes include half-smokes, crab cakes, and mambo sauce. DC is also home to a number of great farmers markets, where you can buy fresh produce, meats, and cheeses.
Best Hotels
There are many great hotels to choose from in Washington, DC. Some of the city’s most popular hotels include the Willard InterContinental, the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC, and the Mandarin Oriental, Washington, DC.
Conclusion
Washington, DC is a great city to visit any time of year, but June is an especially great time to experience all that the city has to offer. With its warm weather, special events, and festivals, there’s no shortage of things to see and do in DC in June. So what are you waiting for? Book your trip today and experience all that Washington, DC has to offer!
Washington, D.C
Spray parks officially open in the District, providing cool relief from the heat
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WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Spray parks reopened in the District just in time to relieve people from the extreme heat forecasted this week.
Lafayette Pointer Park – in the Upper Checy Chase neighborhood – was one of the 32 sites that opened around D.C. Saturday.
“He loves coming here. Even when it’s kind of cold,” Austin Stack said about his two-year-old son, Collin. “He loves running through and getting soaked.”
The parks are open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Labor Day.
However, the one at Turkey Thicket Recreation Center is closed for repairs, while Fort Grebel Recreation Center remained closed Sunday for unknown reasons.
The Kremers, of Kensington, Md., are glad they found one that was open as temperatures reached the upper 80s on Sunday afternoon.
“We actually went somewhere else last weekend and we were so happy coming back today [but] it was shut down. It was closed,” said Pedro Kremer. “So we were heartbroken. And then we found this one.”
The District offers plenty of indoor pools right now as a way to stay cool, and starting Monday, June 24, all District outdoor swimming pools will be open six days a week.
Washington, D.C
Airfare of the Day -Business Class- TURKISH AIRLINES Washington DC to Amsterdam from $2,168
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