Washington, DC

25 April 2015

Today, Michelle and I had the unbelievable privilege of tagging along an "Honor Flight". This is a charity that brings World War 2 veterans to Washington, DC to visit the World War 2 Memorial. Today's flight included over 75 veterans and well over a hundred volunteers, including a "guardian" to personally escort each veteran. They had four busses and a police escort to take them around DC.

We met the flight at BWI airport
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They were escorted by an Honor Guard
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Grandma came out toward the end.
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She had no idea we were waiting for her.
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She even called us to tell us she was in Baltimore. We wished her a good time.
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The Honor Guard saluted the busses as we left the airport.
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First, we drove to Arlington. The three spires are the United States Air Force Memorial. The building in front is the Pentagon.
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A view of the Washington Monument from Arlington
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The entrance to Arlington National Cemetery.
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The Women in Military Memorial
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The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (back)
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The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (front)
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Pictures of the Changing of the Guard
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Grandma with her Guardian Bert
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The guy in the orange shirt is a Miama news reporter who interviewed Grandma
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Russell and Cirse finally arrived.
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Etaline Ackerman, age 17, Pharmacists's Mate First Class, 1942
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The Iwo Jima / U. S. Marine Corps Memorial
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All of the Veterans and their Guardians lined up for a picture in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial.
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Grandma is in the front left, two to the right of the guy in the white jacket.
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After lunch, we drove back to the Washington Mall, past the back of the Lincoln Memorial
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The WW2 Memorial has two arches, for the Pacific and Atlantic theaters.
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WW2 "Victory Medallion"
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1941-1945
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Victory at Sea
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Victory on Land
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Victory in the Air
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There are 56 of these pillars, one for each state and territory
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Grandma wanted her picture in front of the New York pillar.
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There is a big pond/fountain in the middle,
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with the Washington Monument in the background.
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Waterfall
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Inscription, not in the picture -- "Here We Mark the Price of Freedom"
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The visit wouldn't be complete without Kilroy.
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The Reflecting Pool and, at the far end, The Lincoln Memorial.
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Out of over 75 Veteras, only about a half dozen were women.
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Throughout the visit to the WW2 Memorial, many many many people asked to take pictures with the visiting Veterans...
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...or to just shake their hands and thank them.
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I have no idea who these people are. But they wanted pictures with the Veterans.
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