It was May 31, 2023 that one of our Marcus citizens, Ab Smith was on a Midwest Honor Flight plane to Washington, D.C. This Midwest Honor Flight was created as a way to say “Thank You” to our Veterans for what they have given to us.
Ab was in the Korean Conflict about three years. (I understand that the Korean and Vietnam Wars are now called Conflicts.) He volunteered to serve his country and was sent overseas to Seoul, Korea. He didn’t see much battle but drove a truck infantry and protected the base.
He signed up for the Honor Flight about a month before he was notified that he qualified. Terminally ill Veterans are always the very first to go on an Honor Flight; WWII are next and Korean and Vietnam Veterans follow. There is a Guardian that goes with the Veteran. Ab’s Guardian was Lisa Letsche. She had made it known earlier that she would be interested in being a Guardian if one was needed. She took Honor Flight training for about 2 hours prior to the Flight.
The day began for Ab and Lisa at 5:30 a.m. at the Sioux Falls airport. They had received their special shirts the night before so it was quite a sight to see all the “Blue Shirted” Veterans and “White Shirted” Guardians boarding the plane that morning! On this Honor Flight, there were 83 Veterans. One Veteran was from World War II, there were 9 Veterans from Korean Conflict and the rest were from the Vietnam Conflict.
The Sioux Center American Legion Auxiliary Unit 199 put together breakfast bags for all on the plane. The breakfast bags contained a sandwich, juice, and a fruit cup. The Honor Flight arrived at D.C. at 9 a.m. (Eastern time) and were greeted by MANY people on their arrival. Senator Mike Rounds was one of the greeters.
The day for the Veterans had just begun! There were four busses that took the Veterans and Guardians to places of interest. The Marine Corps War Memorial was seen. There are six figures, thirty-two-foot high, shown raising a 60 foot bronze flagpole. The figures in the statue occupy the same positions as in Rosenthal’s historic photograph. The names and dates of every principal Marine Corps engagement since the founding of the Corps form a gold ring around the base.
The Air Force Memorial is 270 feet high and appears to be soaring. Its array of arcs against the sky evokes a modern image of flight by jet and space vehicles. At the entrance from the west stands the Honor Guard, symbolizing patriotism and power. The bluestone path moves north to the Glass Contemplation Wall, a glazed independent panel with meditative inscriptions that symbolizes the presence of all of those who are gone.
The United States Navy Memorial honors those who have served or are currently serving in the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine. For America’s sea services, The United States Navy Memorial is the triumph of a centuries-old dream.
The World War II Memorial is the memorial that serves as a reminder to the 16 million who served during the war and over 400,000 who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Each pillar represents one of the 56 states or territories that played a role in the war. Each pillar has two wreaths—the wheat represents agriculture; the oak represents industry. This symbolizes the fact that not only did the states and territories give their citizens to serve in the military, they also offered their resources and the fruits of their labor to the cause of victory. Without the hard work, sacrifice, and support of the home front, success on the battlefront was impossible.
There are 4,048 gold stars; each one represents 100 American military deaths. Of 16 million men and women in military service during the time, that number represents 1 death out of every 40. “Here We Mark the Price of Freedom” is inscribed below the Freedom Wall.
On to the Korean War Memorial where images of troops moving by sea, land, and air are sandblasted onto the surface of the wall, while a squadron of 19 stainless steel figures, including members from each branch of the armed forces, are situated in the center of the memorial. The lifelike statues stand about 7 feet tall and represent various branches of the armed forces including 14 Army personnel, 3 Marines, 1 member of the Navy, and 1 member of the Air Force. The statues are 14 Caucasians, 3 African-Americans, 2 Hispanics, 1 Oriental, and 1 Native American soldier.
There is a Pool of Remembrance, which has inscriptions that list the number of soldiers killed, wounded, missing in action and held as prisoners of war. In July of 2022, they rededicated the Korean War Memorial on Korean War Armistice Day with a Wall of Remembrance dedicated to all those who lost their life during Korea. Ab saw the Korean Sus Jima Monument.
Now it was time to see the Vietnam War Memorial. It was after the war that many of the Veterans of Vietnam War wanted to have a memorial dedicated to all of the men and women in our military who paid the ultimate sacrifice. There were 4 things that each design had to follow in order to be considered. It had to be reflective in character, harmonize with its surroundings, contain all names of the men and women in the military who died or are still missing, and finally have no political statement about the war.
The walls have a mirror-like surface, which is polished black granite, reflecting the images of the surrounding trees, lawns, monuments, and visitors. There are currently over 58,000 names listed on The Wall and 1,200 of these names are marked as missing with a + sign next to the name.
Somewhere in between seeing the aforementioned and that to follow, the Veterans and Guardians had lunch. A sack lunch was given to each containing a sandwich, cookie, and a drink—just enough to get them ready to see more sights!
George Washington’s military and political leadership were indispensable to the founding of the United States. As commander of the Continental Army, he rallied Americans from thirteen divergent states and outlasted Britain’s superior military force. As the first president, Washington’s leadership set the standard for each President that has succeeded him. The Washington Monument towers above the city that bears his name. The monument, like the man, stands in no one’s shadow. It is the tallest structure in D.C. at 555 feet, 5 1/8 inches.
There are 36 columns around the exterior that represent one for each of the 36 states that were part of the Union during Lincoln’s election. The upper row lists the 48 states of the United States of America in 1922, the year of the memorial’s dedication. On the plaza level, there is a large bronze plaque commemorating Alaska and Hawaii becoming the 49th and 50th states of the union.
The interior of the Lincoln Memorial possesses a three-chamber design. The central chamber contains the statue of the President, while the two flanking chambers commemorate the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Speech. From the bottom of his feet to the top of his head, he measures 18 feet. Old Glory, the 36-star American flag of the Civil War, is draped around the back of the chair.
Back on the busses to go to the Arlington National Cemetery. The cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active-duty service members, Veterans and their families. “Service to country” is the common thread that binds all who are honored and remembered here.
The cemetery remains active with funeral services Monday through Saturday (Except federal holidays), conducting between 27 and 30 services each weekday and between 6 and 8 services each Saturday.
These honored Veterans saw the “changing of the guard”. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National cemetery stands atop a hill overlooking D.C. On March 4, 1921, Congress approved the burial of an unidentified American soldier from World War I in the plaza of the new Memorial Amphitheater.
The white marble sarcophagus has a flat-faced form and is relieved at the corners and along the sides by neo-classic columns set into the surface. Sculpted into the east panel which faces Washington, D.C., are three Greek figures representing Peace, Victory, and Valor. The six wreaths, three sculpted on each side, represent the six major campaigns of World War I. Inscribed on the back of the Tomb are the words: Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.
West of the WWI Unknown are the crypts of unknown from WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Those three graves are marked with white marble slabs flush with the plaza. The Vietnam crypt remains empty to symbolize all those still MIA Missing in Action) as the remains were identified by family.
At the airport waiting to go back home, the group was given supper—a chicken fillet sandwich, bar, and a drink.
The plane ended back in Sioux Falls at 9:30 p.m. the same day. There were hundreds of people there to greet them as they departed the plane. What a day this was for the Veterans and Guardians!
Ab has many memorabilia’s from this trip. He was given an Honorable discharge from the U.S. and has it in a frame. There were also several medals he received with points of interest engraved in them. He has many pictures that were taken. Group pictures of all the Veterans were taken at each monument, etc. they were taken to.
He was given many, many letters from school kids thanking Veterans for what they did to keep our country FREE. The letters were very colorful!
Ab received letters from Senator Chuck Grassley and Senator Joni Ernst and one from Elsie Van Beek—the cupcake girl that raised money for this flight. Elsie is in high school. She wanted to go on one of these flights her brother organizes, but she wasn’t 18 years old yet. He told her if she raised $50,000 she could go. She raised $85,000!
The letter from Senator Joni Ernst is as follows: Dear Iowa Veteran, With great humility, I am honored to welcome you to our nation’s capital. Since 2005, the Honor Flight Network has transported American heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect at the memorials established in commemoration of their service. While no “thank you” can adequately express America’s gratitude for your sacrifices, I hope this experience will demonstrate our appreciation for you and your families.
The National Mall rightly displays the historical pillars of this country. At one end stands the Capitol, symbolic of the bedrock of our democracy. At the other, the Lincoln Memorial, a reminder of when it was nearly torn apart. At the center, these two icons, are memorials honoring you, veterans who served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The placement of these memorials is representative of how your service is the foundation of what makes all else possible. The freedom we enjoy today are a direct result of the blood, sweat, and tears you shed years ago.
As a fellow veteran, I am humbled to share in your legacy, and as a public servant, I appreciate the opportunity to express my gratitude. You truly represent all that is great about Iowa and America. I hope you have a meaningful visit, and thank you for your service. God bless, Joni K. Ernst United States Senator.
The following letter is from Elsie Van Beek—the Cupcake Girl
Dear Veteran, My name is Elsie Van Beek. I am the “cupcake queen” as some people call me. Elsie Honors started as a sibling “rivalry” and Aaron, my oldest brother, challenged me to raise at least $50,000 to sponsor Mission 15. Jokingly, I took him up on that challenge, but it turned into an awesome opportunity to raise enough money to take 84 Veterans on their one final tour of honor. I hope you had an amazing day today that you’ll never forget and can tell your story to others!
I want to thank you for your service to this country. Without you, we would not have all the freedoms and privileges that we have today. You have done so much for this country and I cannot thank you enough for that. I hope you had an enjoyable day full of respect and honor and were able to bond with fellow comrades. Please don’t ever forget that you are appreciated so much and I will cherish this day we had together forever. Again, thank you for all you have done to allow America to be a free country. You are my hero. With all love and sincerity, Elsie Van Beek
This was Mission 15 known as “Elsie Honors”. Mission 16 is already being planned.
What a day for Veteran Ab and Guardian Lisa! What memories they have of a day that they probably never thought would happen and especially for them!