The Trip to Washington, DC Back to WW II Photo page
These notes and thoughts are my own. They do not represent everything that people did while on the trip nor do they necessarily represent the opinions of others. Most of these events, I witnessed but there are some second hand stories included. I do believe that all of them happened as I have written them but can not verify that it is indeed fact. Art Hanley
I was invited by Past Commander Tom Smith, to be his guest on the trip by Veteran World War II members of the Post to visit the WW II Memorial. I was overwhelmed by the honor of being able to join these men and woman as they visited the new (and long overdue) monument dedicated two weeks earlier as a tribute to them and in memory of those who did not come home from the war.
Wednesday morning, June 16, 2004, we met at Post Headquarters. The group included Al and Ronnie Blandford (both WW II vets), Ed and Mary Mitchell, Bob and Jean Palmer, John and Lee Santorelli, Tom Smith and myself, Art Hanley. We anxiously awaited the bus which was to take us to Stamford, CT where we would board the high speed Acela train for the trip to DC. As the hour approached for our departure and the bus was not there yet, a few were sure that things were going to start off badly. However the bus arrived, a couple of minutes late, and we were soon on our way.
Arriving in Stamford we learned that the Acela train that was supposed to precede ours by two hours was running late and that we could board that train. We did so and arrived at Union Station thirty minutes earlier than originally scheduled. The only problem with this was that the porter placed our bags on the outer loop where limos and buses pickup their fares. It was over ninety degrees with 90% humidity and the wait for the bus seemed like hours.
Once we were at the hotel, check-in went smoothly and we were soon in our rooms, unpacking and freshening up. Anthony Santorelli, John’s brother who is also a WW II vet, originally from Brewster but now living in nearby Maryland, joined us for dinner.
After dinner we retrieved our VFW caps and met in front of the hotel where we piled into two taxis for the trip to the WW II Memorial. We arrived while it was still daylight. The WW II vets posed for a photo near the entrance and then we broke into groups as we all tried to take it in at our own speed. Everywhere they turned, the WW II vets had men, women, and children walking up to them and thanking them for their service. People walking by would thank them, others would ask about their experiences. Young girls walked up to Ronnie and asked her what women did in the service during WW II and were fascinated by her story. This continued all evening as we waited patiently for the light to fade so that we could see the Memorial as it appeared during the dark of night. As we headed back to the hotel for the night, I was delighted with the recognition that was bestowed upon our members of “The Greatest Generation” by the public that evening.
Thursday morning Anthony Santorelli rejoined us and a few of us headed back to the memorial. More words of thanks and praise were heard as we walked around taking in the details that had been missed the previous night.
Four of us, Tom, Bob, Lee and I, decided to walk down to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. While Tom and Lee walked over to the book to look up a name of a KIA soldier, Bob and I were looking at the statue of the three soldiers. A couple asked if they could take our photo and we said of course we would be happy to pose. After they took the shot I told them that Bob was a WW II veteran who had served in Europe. The husband his eyes brimming with tears, looked at Bob and said, “You liberated us.” He walked over, shook Bob’s hand. While continuing to hold onto Bob’s arm told him that they were Dutch and while his wife was only one year old when the Americans arrived to drive the Germans out, he was nine, his father was Jewish and he remembered everything. Tom came over at this point and he too was thanked. When Tom pointed out that he had not been part of the force that liberated the Netherlands, they said it did not matter. The Americans gave us our lives; they gave all Europeans their lives and we can never thank you enough. The emotions of this encounter still engulf me when I think about it.
Shortly after this encounter, John and Anthony Santorelli joined us at the Wall, having lingered at the WW II Memorial. They told us of having stopped at a Kiosk along the Mall to buy a cold adult beverage. When they tried to pay for their purchase, the man behind them in line told the clerk not to accept their money that he was paying for their drinks as a small token of thanks for their service.
We returned to the hotel, freshened up and joining the rest of the group headed up to Capitol Hill. We proceeded to the office of Representative Sue Kelly, in the Longworth House Office Building. We were welcomed by her members of her staff who made us comfortable as we waited for the Congresswoman to return from the floor of the House where she was voting.
Congresswoman Kelly greeted each one of us upon her arrival, presented the group with a Flag of the United States of America along with a certificate stating that it had been flown over the U.S. Capitol Building and then posed with us for photos. She then ushered us downstairs to the basement of the building and through a pedestrian tunnel that traversed a few blocks to the Capitol where she hosted us for magnificent lunch in the House of Representatives, Member’s Dining Room. Other members of the House were very gracious, making us feel welcome and thanking the WW II vets for all they had done.
Later that afternoon, Ronnie and Al Blandford received a phone call from their nephew who lives nearby and works for Northrop Grumman. He invited them to attend the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics awards banquet with him that evening. They heard Sen. John McCain speak and met the Secretary of Transportation and an astronaut. Al and Ronnie were impressed that these people knew their nephew and that the Secretary and the astronaut were both just as impressed by these two WW II vets as they were by them.
Friday morning we headed to the Pentagon. Arriving a little early we had to wait for Thomas Smith, SIC-AFOSI, and a friend of mine, to come out and escort us through security. As we waited military personnel walking by noticed our group and realized that they were in the presence of some very special people. Many of them slowed their pace and snapped salutes showing how much they respect what this generation did for the world.
Once Tom arrived he took a minute to tell us that once we were inside he would tell the group about himself, how we knew each other and about the tour we were about to go on. He did give one instruction which he asked all of the WW II vets to adhere to and that was not to say “Thank you” at any time during their visit. He told them that everyone in the Pentagon felt the same way. “We owe you our thanks. For, without your efforts and heroics, we would not be here today.”
After we got inside Tom spoke for a bit telling the group about him self and about where we were in the Pentagon. He also explained how we had come to know each other. We all posed for photos, and Tom chatted with each member of the group. Soon we were driven off on two golf carts for our tour by two members of the Honor Guard, Specialist Justin Matthews, USA and Airman First Class Stephen Finkenhoefer, USAF.
The tour took us to two very special areas of the Pentagon. The first was the Pentagon’s memorial to the 184 victims murdered by five terrorists on September 11, 2001. It is a very simple yet respectful room located where the plane slammed into the building on that fateful morning. After spending some time in the room and listening to the story of the devastation and the rebuilding as told by our guides, we were all somewhat numb and very quiet as we walked back to the carts which we had left down the hallway.
We then proceeded to the “Hall of Heroes” which is dedicated to all of the recipients of the Medal of Honor. We learned that there are actually three Medals of Honor all with the same requirements and stature but issued based on branch of service. The Navy & Marines have their own as do the Army and the Air Force. We learned that it takes on average seventeen to twenty years for the investigation to be completed and the Medal to be awarded once someone is nominated for the honor. A record was set by the two MOH awarded posthumously to the snipers who protected the men of the Blackhawk downed in Somalia. They were nominated in 1993 and the MOH were awarded in 2000.
When the tour was over Tom met us again and we all chatted some more and poked around the displays of the branches of service that were in the lobby. Finally it was time to leave and Tom escorted the group outside and then down into the metro station. As we waited for the train he again thanked each vet for their service. He encouraged them to record their stories for their grandchildren and for the future generations. As he said, the 10 or 12 year old may not be interested now but in a few years they will wish they could hear about what you did. It was obvious to me and confirmed later in an email from Tom that he was truly filled with emotion as he spoke these words. In his email Tom wrote, “Please tell each of the vets and their wives what an honor it was for me to meet them and be a part of their day. How they remain so humble about their heroics is a tribute to each of them.”
Returning to our hotel, we ate a light lunch and rested. A few of us ventured out to the Smithsonian air & Space Museum and later the Museum of Natural History while others went shopping and others took time to nap.
During the afternoon we were very pleased to learn that the Collin Burkott, wife of Post 672 Life Member Mike Burkott (grandson of Al & Ronnie Blandford), with their sons Justin and Thomas and her brother Keith would be joining us for dinner. Michael who had been in Kuwait and Iraq last year is again overseas. Ronnie and Al were pleased to be able to spend some time with their great-grand children (and they are great kids) and it was nice for the rest of us to meet the family and to be able to offer some support. We hope that we meet again soon but that this time Mike is home safe and sound.
That evening most of the group relaxed and started packing for our departure the next morning. However, Bob, Tom and I decided to visit the FDR Memorial and the Korean War Memorial. Both of these, like the others were very moving and caused one to reflect on the history that they represented. Again at the Korean Memorial, Bob and Tom were stopped and thanked for their service. In this case it was a six or eight teenagers from the Midwest who were there as part of a very large group of members from Future Farmers of America. Tom and I had seen this group of very well behaved and neatly dressed teenagers the day before in the area of the House Office Buildings and had commented about them to each other. When we met them again here at the Memorial I thought to myself here are members of the “Greatest Generation” a part of our history talking with the members of our future. Based on what I saw this night, our future looks pretty bright.
On Saturday morning we ate breakfast, packed our bags and headed home. The transportation was on time at all connections and we had a smooth trip home. All of us were weary when we arrived back in Brewster but all of us came home with memories that will last a life time.
I want to thank Tom Smith (Brewster) for inviting me along on the trip as his guest. I want to thank all of the rest of the contingent for allowing me to share in their experience and making me feel so loved by teasing me and making me the “butt” of their jokes. I want to thank Rep Sue Kelly and Tom Smith (Virginia) for making this already special trip truly a most memorable one for all of us. Thank you also to our anonymous donor who gave me $200 to take the group to lunch. Finally a thank you to all of the people who took a moment to say thanks, shake a hand, give a pat on the back or even just the tip of a hat, as a way of showing your appreciation to these brave people who fought to preserve our freedom and way of life.
Art Hanley
Sr. Vice Commander
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