Classmate James Keller had the privilege of participating in the Honor Flight Network.  This is an independent National Network that offers veterans an all-expense paid one-day visit to Washington, D.C.  James has written an excellent summary of his experience for your enjoyment.  See below:

JAMES KELLER'S STORY

I was very proud of my army service, joining in 1964, becoming a parachute rigger and being permanently assigned to an air drop company in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  In January, 1966 I was reassigned to the 5^th Special Forces as an airdrop specialist in Nha Trang, Vietnam where I spent my final 12 months in the army.  I returned home in December, met by family and friends, went home took my uniform off and that was that.   The USA was in the midst of anti-war fever and my army service was personal and private with no public recognition at all.

This is a sign I was given to be put up outside my house

That’s what made the Honor Flight I took on May 25, 2022 such a special event in my life—it told me my service meant something to others and not just to me.  It was a great day and I would like to try to share everything that happened.

My day started at 4:30 am May 25^th. My son, who was my guardian, arrived at the house.  We loaded a few things and headed to the Fort Wayne Air Guard facility at Fort Wayne International Airport (which we all knew as Baer Field).   However, it was not only my son who accompanied me, I had the privilege of going with my brother Ed, a ’58 grad, who was in the Air National Guard and was called up in 1960 to active cold war duty in Chambeau, France and was also an honored guest on this flight.  He was accompanied by his daughter, Laura.

We signed in at the base and were directed to a building where we checked in and received our documentation and a tee shirt for the day. We were served breakfast and had a short meeting before we headed to the planes.

                                     

The initial meeting before boarding the plane for Washington

As we moved to board the planes there were a lot of volunteer people there waving and saluting us. To my surprise I saw Jim Fritz, one of our classmates, saluting me and I stopped and shook his hand and thanked him for coming.  It was a great way to start my trip.  Walking under the large American flags hanging from fire engines and having so many people looking at us and cheering made me feel proud of being an American veteran and I was very thankful for the recognition.      

 

There were American flags flying everywhere.  The Fort Wayne Fire Department even had one flying

When we arrived at Reagan National Airport in D.C. the same thing happened.  We again received a great welcome as 250/300 people met us in the terminal waving flags, clapping, showing posters that said: “Welcome home Soldier”!   I didn’t think I could feel any higher when we left Fort Wayne, but this took that to a new level--what a great feeling, I felt so very proud and honored.  They are right when they call this an “Honor Flight”. I felt honored from the get-go.

The following two pictures are of the welcome we received at Reagan Airport In Washington

From there we boarded our four buses-Red, White, Blue, and Yellow.   We headed out to our first stop, The World War II Memorial.  This is a beautiful memorial with 4048 gold stars each representing 100 Americans who died in the war along with 50 separate columns in a large circle representing all the states of the union. However, trying to see all this in 45 minutes was tough.  It makes me want to go back and take more time.

                        

 The Price of Freedom at the WW II Memorial

 

Group Picture showing some of the Marble Columns of the 50 States

 

Next stop was the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial which consisted of 4 rooms that showed the progress of his Presidency.

Around the grounds at the FDR Memorial

 

From there we went to the Korea Memorial with 19 statues of an ethnic cross section of America.  They included 14 soldiers, three Marines, one Sailor and one Airman.  The statues wore ponchos covering their weapons and equipment which made one feel like you were actually in some of those very cold battles in Korea.

The Tribute to the Veterans of the Korean War.

From there we walked over to what I most wanted to see, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  I was overcome with emotion as I took it all in.  I think the emotions clouded my thinking as I regret that too late, I remembered about our classmate Steve Weiss who was killed there in 1966.  I should have gotten a picture of his name on the Wall.  However, I am able to take this thought and send it with a friend of mine who is going on an Honor Flight in the fall and he can take the picture for me.

                                                       Two views The Vietnam Memorial Wall

Leaving the Vietnam Memorial, we got back on the bus and drove over to the Lincoln Memorial.  Of course, I remember seeing him in books and on film, but being there and looking up at that giant statue of him really brought to life his being one of the greatest Presidents in history.  As I walked down the steps toward the Washington Monument and looked over the water of the reflecting pool, I yelled “Jenny, Jenny”!  But she did not come running out of the water.  It was worth a shot.

Getting back on the bus we drove past the Memorial to the U.S. Marine Corps. It depicts the famous moment of the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima after the hard-fought battle.

The Tribute to the U.S. Marine Corps.  The people to the left shows just how big this is.

Our next stop was at The Women in Military Service for America Memorial honoring all the women who have served the United States since the American Revolution.  This was an interesting exhibit and I am glad that women were recognized for their military service.

From there we headed to the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery.  I think every American should experience this very powerful display of appreciation for the many lives that were lost in defense of the American way of life.  The precision and discipline that the soldiers display is almost superhuman.

You could have heard a pin drop during this ceremony—the quiet respect of all those people was  something to see!

 

After the moving display of the changing of the guard, we got back on the buses and were taken to another location in the cemetery where our guide pointed out the graves of several famous people buried there.  We got out and had some time to look around and the one grave I remember most was that of Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in World War II.  I wonder how many of our classmates remember going to the movie theaters on Saturday afternoons and watching Audie Murphy in the cowboy and combat films.  That’s how I remembered him, not realizing at the time that he wasn’t just a hot shot movie hero, he was a REAL hero.

                                                            The Most Decorated Soldier in WW II.

Getting back on the buses, we went to our final stop, The Air Force Memorial where we had our evening meal.  The highlight of this stop was a demonstration by a crack Air Force Drill Team doing a very complicated close order drill.  I remember being in the army and doing a lot of marching, but never did I do anything like this.  It was another example of military precision like we saw at the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

       

The Air Force Crack Drill team at the Air Force Memorial

The day was action-packed, with so much to see, experience, and feel, in such a short period of time, it seemed like it was over in an instant, and before I knew it, it was time to board the buses for the trip back to Reagan Airport for the flight home.  When we got to Reagan, one might think the day was over, but that was not true.  Again, there was a crowd of people cheering and waving and showing great appreciation for our service.  But even then, the trip was not over yet.

                

                                                   Brother Ed and I got our Welcome Home

It was so well-planned that even on the flight home, there was a major activity for all of us—it was “Mail Call” and for veterans my age, the very term brings back memories of hoping to hear my name called so I would get a letter from home.  I am sure that any classmates who are reading this and were in the military, know what mail call is all about.  Ten minutes after we were in the air, they made an announcement that there was one more event and they gave each veteran a large envelope filled with mail.  I opened my package and I was overwhelmed to see about 150 letters and postcards.  I didn’t even know where to start, so I started reading the stuff that was obviously from young kids.  They all thanked me for my service, most were addressed to “Dear Veteran, but I did have some addressed to “Dear Jim” and one I particularly remember is the one where, a boy, I suspect in about the 3rd grade, thanked me for “Saving his Life”.   I also received several notes from friends and family that were more personalized.  This is one of the many things my great “guardian” did for me on this trip—contacting people to jot me a note.  I could not get them all read on the plane and but sure enjoyed them on the days following the trip.

Getting back to Fort Wayne used to be a big part of the day, but with all the airport remodeling they were not able to host a large crowd.  There were a few there welcoming us home and just like everywhere we went, they cheered us.  It was a GREAT end to a PERFECT day.

It would be wrong of me to not acknowledge the thoughtful support of all those that made this trip possible for me.  From the generous donors who paid for it; to the volunteers who organized it in such a way that everything we needed was available to make our trip as comfortable and meaningful as possible (they totally understood that they were dealing with “old” veterans).  Each of us had a wheelchair, if needed, and each of us was asked to bring along a “Guardian” to assist us.  I was honored to have my son Shane as my guardian and he spent the day making sure I was able to get to all the places I needed to be and it was a joy to share a part of who “I was” before I married his mother and became his father.    Besides having my son, it was a real honor to have my older brother and my niece on the same trip.  I know Ed enjoyed every minute of his day as well.

Also, as I stated in the first paragraph, there was really nobody cheering me home in 1966.  That has changed dramatically in 2022.  When I wear one of my “Veteran” hats out in public, I am constantly being thanked for my service and more than once I have had a meal purchased for me as a surprise gift.  This Honor Flight is an example of this overall change in the public’s attitude toward military veterans and I am so glad it has happened.  

Her are a few pictures of Jim, Shane, Ed and Laura.

                                          

                           

                            

   My Favorite picture of all my son Shane M. Keller NSHS 89