HonorAir Knoxville
Day Trip to Washington, DC
I had the honor of being a Volunteer Escort on HonorAir Knoxville’s 34th trip taking Veterans to Washington, DC to visit several of the monuments. On this trip, 132 Veterans ranging from World War II to Vietnam gathered at McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, TN and traveled via an American Air Airbus A321 to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, VA. From there, we toured the Air Force Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for the Guard Change and Wreath Laying Ceremonies, Marine Corps War Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the World War II Memorial. This long day ended with a flight back to McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, TN where the Veterans were greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of well wishers and family.
10Apr24
Knoxville to Washington, DC
The day began with a 4am wake up in order to be at McGhee Tyson Airport by 5:45 am to prepare to greet the Veterans. A huge crowd gathers as we prepare everyone for the flight to DC. An Honor Guard and well wishers greeted the Veterans on their way through the airport to the aircraft. We loaded up into the American Airways Airbus A321 jet and we were on our way. Upon arrival at Reagan Washington National Airport, signs thanking the Veterans were visible outside the aircraft.
Dale Rowe, Army Veteran, And my father.
HonorAir Knoxville Sponsors of the Veterans trip to Washington, DC.
Veterans spent the morning getting to know one another.
My father having a chat with one of the veterans. Lots of these discussions between the veterans were happening all over the waiting area.
Time to head for the airplane.
The airport concourse had several well wishers and an Honor Guard.
Honor Guard greeting the Veterans.
Pre-flight speeches.
As a Volunteer Escort, my job was to help these three Veterans throughout the day.
The Veterans listening intently to the speakers.
Boarding the American Airway A321. It was decorated with patriotic flags and stars.
The aircraft is full and ready to go.
In the air. On our way to Washington, DC.
My father contemplating the day to come.
We have landed in Washington, DC and just passed through a water cannon salute.
As we pulled in to park at Reagan Washington National Airport, there were Armed Forces flags and this large welcome message next to the airplane.
U.S. Air Force Memorial
The first stop on the tour of DC was at the U.S. Air Force Memorial. This memorial is located on a hill overlooking the Pentagon and downtown Washington, DC. The three immense spires are nearly impossible to capture in a single picture while standing next to it. The base of the memorial was under construction. So we could not go into the middle of the spires. There was also construction happening next to the memorial. Either end of the memorial has some excellent statues and displays. Note that one of the statues in the Honor Guard lineup is a woman.
Tour Bus (Green) all loaded and ready to go. Our tour guide giving us some details of the day to come.
A view of the Lincoln Memorial on the drive to the Air Force Memorial.
U.S. Air Force Memorial triple spires.
U.S. Air Force Memorial triple spires.
U.S. Air Force Memorial triple spires.
U.S. Air Force Memorial triple spires.
U.S. Air Force Memorial triple spires.
U.S. Air Force Memorial triple spires.
U.S. Air Force Memorial triple spires.
U.S. Air Force Memorial triple spires.
U.S. Air Force Memorial triple spires.
The base of the memorial was under construction and we were not able to enter that area.
My father checking out the monument. Note the center of the monument was blocked off for construction.
U.S. Air Force Memorial triple spires.
Honor Guard statues.
Honor Guard statues.
Honor Guard statues. Note one of the statues is a female.
Self portrait as we look at the fantastic memorial walls.
The etched, clear glass was very impressive. But hard to get a clear photo of it.
Another angle of the etched display. Still hard to completely capture it in a photo.
I saw the shadows of the F-16 Fighting Falcons on the ground. The shadow of the spire is visible as well
Close up of the etched F-16 fighters.
Medal of Honor monument wall highlighting Air Force recipients.
Medal of Honor Memorial Wall quotes.
LIst of Air Force Medal of Honor recipients.
Etched Medal of Honor Medal
View of downtown Washington, DC from the Air Force Memorial.
View of the Pentagon and the construction area below the U.S. Air Force Memorial.
A view of the dome of the United States Capitol Building.
A view of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Note the VH-3D Sea King helicopter passing the monument.
View of the Washington Monument obelisk.
Close up of the Washington Monument.
Washington Monument as seen from the U.S. Air Force Memorial.
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER
Second stop on the Washington, DC tour was at Arlington National Cemetery to visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We were in luck and the Veterans were able to watch the Changing of the Guard and Wreath Laying Ceremonies. These solemn ceremonies are conducted with incredible precision and reverence by the soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard." Driving through the numerous cemetery sections and seeing the thousands of grave markers is quite the sobering experience.
Entrance to Arlington National Cemetery.
Some of the cemeteries have a variety of headstones instead of the typical, small, white grave markers.
Arlington National Cemetery's Memorial Amphitheater.
The entrance to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Arlington National Cemetery's Memorial Amphitheater sits next the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The Memorial Amphitheater has box seating areas as well at traditional seating.
A large crowd has gathered to watch the Changing of the Guard and Wreath Laying ceremonies
My father, along with the other Veterans, watches intently to the proceedings.
One of the Guards begins the 21 step march as part of the ritual all guards must follow.
All Tomb Guards belong to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard.
The soldier is immaculately dresses and performs his Guard duty with absolute precision.
A sobering view of grave markers shows you a glimpse of just how many people have defended our nation.
Row upon rows of grave markers.
A sight which sticks with you long after you have left.
Boarding the tour bus to head to our next stop on the tour.
Changing of the Guard and Wreath Laying Ceremonies
U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial
Sometimes referred to as the “Iwo Jima Memorial.” The third stop was at the memorial dedicated in 1954 to all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the United States since 1775. The statue is based on the World Famous Joe Rosenthal photograph of the second U.S. flag raising on Mount Suribachi during the battle for Iwo Jima in World War II.
Our view out the front window of the bus as we depart Arlington Cemetery with the Lincoln Memorial rising up in the distance. I was a member of the Green Team on this tour. And Green Team was Tail-End-Charlie in the bus line.
A view of The National Mall from a distance as we drove past on our way to the Marine Corps War Memorial.
Pulling in to park at the Marine Corps War Memorial. I had a prime view of the monument from my seat on the bus.
Marine Corps War Memorial - Arlington, VA. The centerpiece of the memorial is a colossal sculpture group depicting the six Marines who raised the second and largest of two U.S. flags that were both raised atop Mount Suribachi located at the south end of Iwo Jima, on February 23, 1945.
Marine Corps War Memorial - Arlington, VA. The first flag flown over the mountain was regarded to be too small to be seen by all the American troops on the other side of it where most of the fighting would take place, so it was replaced by a larger flag.
Marine Corps War Memorial - Arlington, VA. The flag raisers who participated were: Position 1: Corporal Harlon H. Block Position 2: Corporal Harold P. Keller Position 3: Private First Class Franklin R. Sousley Position 4: Sergeant Michael Strank Position 5: Private First Class Harold H. Schultz Position 6: Private First Class Ira H. Hayes
Marine Corps War Memorial Arlington, VA. Three of the six flag raisers (Block, Sousley, Strank) were subsequently killed in action on Iwo Jima.
Marine Corps War Memorial - Arlington, VA. Note the names around the top rim of the monument base listing the date and location of every United States Marine Corps major action up to the present time.
Marine Corps War Memorial - Arlington, VA. Sculptor Felix de Weldon created a maquette for a sculpture based on the Joe Rosenthal photo in a single weekend at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland, where he was serving in the Navy. He and architect Horace W. Peaslee designed the memorial.
Marine Corps War Memorial - Arlington, VA. The memorial was dedicated on Wednesday, November 10, 1954, the 179th anniversary of the founding of the Marine Corps.
Marine Corps War Memorial - Arlington, VA. President John F. Kennedy issued a proclamation on June 12, 1961, that a Flag of the United States should fly over the memorial 24 hours a day, which is one of the few official sites where this is required.
Marine Corps War Memorial - Arlington, VA. This memorial depicts an event that occurred when the U.S. flag had 48 stars. However, the flag that is being used is a modern one. This is in keeping with both the text of President Kennedy's 24hr flag proclamation and the memorial's dedication to all Marines who died in defense of the United States regardless of when their deaths occurred.
Marine Corps War Memorial - Arlington, VA. Uncommon Valor Was A Common Virtue - In Honor And Memory Of The Men Of The United States Marine Corps Who Have Given Their Lives To Their Country Since 10 November 1775.
Korean War Veterans Memorial
Fourth stop on the DC tour is the Korean War Veterans Memorial that memorializes those who served in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. It includes 19 statues representing U.S. military personnel in action. This is one of the most impressive memorials that I have had the honor to visit. It truly gives the viewer a feeling of standing among the soldiers as they walk a combat patrol.
Departing from the Marine Corps War Memorial, the Washington Monument rises up to show us our next stop.
Crossing the Arlington Memorial Bridge into Washington, DC proper. Lincoln Memorial in the distance.
A view from inside the tour bus looking back at the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
The Lincoln Memorial is undergoing some major construction. Hence the fencing and porta-potties.
The Korean War Veterans Memorial. This memorial captures the feeling of a group of soldiers out conducting a patrol.
The Korean War Veterans Memorial. There are a total of 19 larger-than-life statues in the memorial.
One of my veterans having his photo taken with the monument soldiers in the background.
The figures represent a platoon on patrol, drawn from branches of the armed forces; fourteen of the figures are from the U.S. Army, three are from the Marine Corps, one is a Navy Corpsman, and one is an Air Force Forward Air Observer.
As I showed this veteran around, he asked me to stop here so he could take a picture of the monument wall. I saw his reflection in the granite wall with the Freedom Is Not Free text. He is a living example of this statement.
Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument
The Lincoln Memorial is a U.S. national memorial that honors the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It sits between the Korean War Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at one end of the National Mall. We stopped for a moment to view it and the Washington Monument from a distance.
The Lincoln Memorial with construction currently in progress.
Lincoln Memorial - A peak inside to see the sculpture of President Abraham Lincoln. We did not have time to go inside and see the sculpture up close.
Washington Monument - I turned around to see the majestic Washington Monument reflecting off the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Washington Monument - The majestic Washington Monument reflecting off the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Washington Monument - Heading back to the bus, I snapped this photo of both the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The memorial honoring service members of the U.S. armed forces who served in the Vietnam War was the fifth stop on the tour. This two-acre site is dominated by two black granite walls engraved with the names of those service members who died or remain missing as a result of their service in Vietnam and South East Asia during the war. The memorial is alway crowded with people looking for the names of loved ones, friends and neighbors. Another interesting aspect of the Vietnam Memorial is all the personal memorials people leave behind at the wall for their loved ones.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial - This Memorial, located a short distance from the Wall, is a bronze statue named Three Servicemen (sometimes called Three Soldiers).
Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Walking the path that leads you down into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial walls are lined with engraved names of those service members who died or remain missing as a result of their service in Vietnam and South East Asia during the war.
One of the amazing things to see at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is all the items left at the base of the memorial for loved ones and family members.
Items left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial are collected by National Park Service employees and transferred to the NPS Museum Resource Center, which catalogs and stores all items except perishable organic matter (such as fresh flowers) and unaltered U.S. flags. The flags are redistributed through various channels.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial - The memorial items left at the wall vary wildly and are as individual as the person they were left for.
Two of my veteran charges viewing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. One veteran found the names of several people that he knew or served with inscribed on the wall. He took home rubbings of their names as keepsakes.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial grounds.
The Vietnam Women's Memorial is dedicated to the women of the United States who served in the Vietnam War, most of whom were nurses. It depicts three uniformed women with a wounded soldier. It is located a short distance south of The Wall, north of the Reflecting Pool.
World War II Memorial
The sixth and final stop on the tour was at a gigantic, two sided memorial dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II. The Atlantic Theatre is represented on one side of the fountain pool. The Pacific Theatre represented on the other side.
Traveling to the World War II Memorial, we drove past the Albert Einstein Memorial on Constitution Avenue.
Flags on light poles lined the streets on Constitution Avenue. I believe the Japanese Ambassador was in Washington on the same day we visited.
General Jose Gervasio Artigas statue. He was a soldier and statesman who is regarded as a national hero in Uruguay and the father of Uruguayan nationhood.
The ever present Washington Monument makes another appearance as we travel around Washington, DC.
As you walk into the World War II Memorial, you will see a seal on the floor of the memorial using the World War II Victory Medal design.
The World War II Memorial is an oval plaza with a fountain and pool at the center.
My father getting a photo of the World War II Memorial.
This location was very active with lots of people moving in and out to get photos of the World War II Memorial.
Atlantic end of the World War II Memorial.
Pearl Harbor quote by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. That pesky Washington Monument slipping into another photo!
The Atlantic Monument end of the World War II Memorial.
Pacific end of the World War II Memorial.
Photographing the World War II Memorial.
A large group of the HonorAir Knoxville veterans have gathered at the Tennessee pillar for photos.
World War II Memorial waterfall looking towards the Lincoln Memorial.
Memorial wall of gold stars. The wall has 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 Americans who died in the war. In front of the wall lies the message "Here we mark the price of freedom"
Visitor to the World War II Memorial getting a good photograph.
President Harry S. Truman quote.
World War II Memorial. Designer Friedrich St. Florian's design evokes a classical monument.
Got one more photo of my father before we leave.
You can see the Jefferson Memorial from the World War II Memorial. Unfortunately we did not have time to visit it.
Washington, DC back to Knoxville, TN
Our time in Washington, DC has come to an end. It is time to return back to McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, TN. After a short wait at Reagan Washington National Airport, we board the same American Airlines Airbus A321 that brought us to Washington and return back to Tennessee for a tremendous welcome home celebration.
Tour buses of the HonorAir Knoxville tour site outside the World War II Memorial awaiting the veterans return.
Driving out of Washington, DC back to the airport. One last shot of the Washington Monument.
Driving through DC, we stopped at a red light outside the Department of Agriculture building.
We are traveling home on the same American Airlines Airbus A321 that brought us to DC. Here it is parked at our gate at Reagan Washington National Airport awaiting our return.
My father waiting for our turn to board the airplane for home.
Oops! He caught me taking his picture again.
The airport and airline decorated the entrances and exits for the veterans.
The walk down the passenger boarding bridge to the aircraft. More patriotic decorations.
Back in the air again and on our way back to Knoxville, TN.
The veterans on the flight we surprised with individual letters, pictures and notes thanking them for their service.
Reception scene upon arrival back to McGhee Tyson Airport.
Walking through the veterans reception line at the airport was a very emotional event. It was a great ending to a long, but excellent experience.
Aircraft Spotting
I took the opportunity to capture as many aircraft flying overhead or on the ground as I could while on the trip to Washington, DC. Each airport and memorial we stopped at offered up some great looks at various aircraft passing by. The highlight of the day was a very close flyby of a Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King helicopter, otherwise known as “Marine One” when the president is onboard.
United Express Embraer ERJ-145 at a McGhee Tyson Airport gate.
United Express Embraer ERJ-145 at a McGhee Tyson Airport gate.
United Express Embraer ERJ-175 at the McGhee Tyson Airport gate.
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter on a pole. This is located across the airport at the National Guard base.
USAF Boeing KC-135R Stratotankers sitting on the ramp across the airfield at the National Guard base.
USAF Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker sitting on the ramp across the airfield at the National Guard base.
Tennessee Air National Guard hanger at McGhee Tyson Airport.
Tennessee Air National Guard hanger at McGhee Tyson Airport.
USAF Boeing C-17A Globemaster III flying over Washington, DC.
American Air Airbus A319 on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
American Air Airbus A319 on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King passing by the Jefferson Memorial.
The Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King made a right turn to make a very close flyby as we toured the U.S. Air Force Memorial.
The Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King is called "Marine One" when the President is onboard.
American Airlines Bombardier CRJ on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
American Airlines Boeing 777-223(ER) at 38,000ft passing over Washington, DC.
The American Airlines Boeing 777-223(ER) headed to Charlotte (CLT) after departing from London (LHR).
Delta Airlines Airbus A319 on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
Delta Connection Embraer ERJ-175LR on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
American Airlines Airbus A319-112 on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
American Airlines Embraer E175LR on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
American Airlines Boeing 737 on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
American Airlines Bombardier CRJ-701ER on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
United Airlines Airbus A319 on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
Delta Airlines Airbus A321-271NX on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
American Airlines Bombardier CRJ on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
American Air Airbus A321 parked at the gate at Reagan Washington National Airport. This is our ride back to Knoxville, TN.
A Gulfstream taking off from Reagan Washington National Airport. I shot this through a window while waiting for the gate to open for our return flight home.
Departure and Arrival Photos
A very good friend offered to take photos of our departure from and arrival to McGhee Tyson airport in Knoxville, TN.
Presented here with his permission. A BIG shout out and thanks to Bruce Kawakami for doing this.
The Flight To And From Washington, DC with Water Canon Salutes
I took the opportunity while on the flight to video a takeoff and the landings. On departure from McGhee Tyson and landing at Reagan Washington National Airports, we were treated to a water cannon salute.