On this first day of the government shutdown, through all of the self serving political rhetoric, and all of the hubris, and finger pointing, I have heard one very compelling story that I think is worth sharing.
To be honest, this story started roughly 60 years ago when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The United States entered World War II. A war that roughly 16 million brave Americans fought in, and over 400,000 died in, serving our nation.
This story is about our World War II Veterans. These folks are part of what is rightly called America's Greatest Generation. This story is also about a wonderful group called Honor Flight Network.
The Honor Flight Network is a group of folks who work with various other veterans, and Honor Flight groups, as well as airlines to make trips available for World War II veterans to visit the National World War II Memorial. They also help to facilitate trips for terminally ill veterans to visit the memorials dedicated to the wars in which they served.
Typically, the Honor Flight Network will organize an Honor Flight for roughly 100 veterans, and volunteer guardians, who help them getting on the flight, and escort them when they get to Washington DC. A typical flight costs between $80,000 and $100,000, and is paid for with donations, as well as help from the airlines. Southwest is the official airline for Honor Flight, although many other airlines have helped out as well.
There is also a group called Heroes Welcome. They are a sub group of Honor Flight Network, and what they do is organize welcoming ceremonies for the Honor Flights as they land at any of the three Washington DC airports.
There will be a group of folks clapping and cheering these WWII veterans as they depart the plane. Active duty military members are almost always present at these events as well. It is truly an inspiring thing to see. I can never watch one of these welcomes without tearing up, and I have seen more than a few.
So here is the story. An Honor Flight was organized for a group of WWII veterans from Mississippi. These things are planned long in advance. There are funds to raise, volunteer guardians needed, transportation to be coordinated, and a whole host of other logistics involved.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Honor Flight landed this morning at Reagan National Airport at 10:00 AM. Unfortunately, the government shut down at midnight. Among all of the other things shut down, were the national parks.
The National Park Service had stated before this flight left Mississippi, that in the event of a shutdown, they would close all national parks, and even barricade all of the open air memorials that these WWII veterans were scheduled to visit. There was nothing to be done though. The plans for this Honor Flight could not be changed.
Well, knowing that the Mississippi Honor Flight was coming to DC regardless of what the government did, Mississippi Congressman Steven Palazzo and a few of his fellow lawmakers showed up at the National World War II Memorial this morning.
Sure enough, barricades had been put in place, caution tape was up, and signs were hanging saying that the memorial was closed to the public. There was also someone from the Park Service there to inform folks that the memorial was not open.
These congressmen took matters into their own hands, and they cut the tape, and moved the barriers. Upon seeing the breach in the lines, our WWII veterans did what they do best. They stormed the beaches!
These brave veterans had stormed many a beach during the war. They have stormed beaches from Okinawa, to Normandy, so this was a piece of cake for them, and it was a wonderful thing. Once that barricade was opened, there was no Park Service employee willing to try and stop them. I am guessing that they didn't really want to anyway.
Rep. Palazzo said that there were 10 more Honor Flights due in DC later this week, so he and the other congressmen took an "informal vote" and decided to move the barricades.
See? Congress can agree on something, and hopefully they will be on barricade duty until the parks are back up and running.
Rep. Palazzo also said that "Sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness, than to ask permission." I agree.
I am proud to say that one of our own Michigan congressmen was also on the scene. Congressman Bill Huizenga said, "This is the best civil disobedience we've seen in Washington in awhile." I agree with that as well.
So as the Mississippi veterans were walking out, and heading to their next destination, a group of veterans from Iowa, that were part of a Freedom Flight, were just walking up. The Parks Service employee was standing at the breached barricade, and announced to them that the memorial was closed.
The group from Iowa just walked right in. The beach had already been secured...
These are links to view an Honor Flight. They are worth spending a few minutes watching.
Honor Flight at Reagan National: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgecqttxoQg
Chicago Honor Flight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSF0S50c9c0
Time Magazine Story on a Texas Honor Flight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaNhmgxifmA
Dedicated to my friend Eddie Toti. World War II Veteran, and the most humble man I have ever known.
