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Welcome to Week 9 of the Rediscovering San Diego and Beyond Online Class
Welcome to Week 9 of the Rediscovering San Diego and Beyond Online Class
Dates: Nov 3 (Tuesday) and/or Nov 5 (Thursday)
Dates: Nov 3 (Tuesday) and/or Nov 5 (Thursday)
Time: 9:30am - 10:30AM
Time: 9:30am - 10:30AM
The password (if asked) is: 268304
The password (if asked) is: 268304
We also invite you to participate in this Quiz/Reflection of our lesson this week: Click Here.
We also invite you to participate in this Quiz/Reflection of our lesson this week: Click Here.
One More Tour: With Honor
One More Tour: With Honor
(Thanks to Mary Burn for collaborating on this lesson!)
Remember that saying from the 70s: “What if they gave a war, and nobody came?”
Unfortunately, that’s not quite how the world works. Like most countries, the history of the United States includes numerous conflicts, and five major wars in modern history. Millions of Americans have signed up or been recruited to defend freedom around the world. While our country provides for veterans in many important ways (like medical coverage and support for education), what happens as our veterans grow older? For most, the memories of war live on inside them. They may never forget the soldiers they served with and their experiences at war. And connecting with memory is what a war memorial is all about.
This week, we hear about an organization which recognizes the services of Veterans and focus on this type of connection with memory. Honor Flight San Diego (HFSD) is a nonprofit branch of the nationwide Honor Flight Network consisting of 130 independent “hubs” across America. In this incredible organization, Veterans are escorted to Washington DC to see their memorials using monies donated by individuals, foundations, associations, business owners and corporations who wish to recognize the veterans’ contributions and to thank them for their services and sacrifice to the US and its citizens (About, 2020). During our Rediscover San Diego class, we will meet Coast Guard Veteran Holly Shaffner, who volunteers with Honor Flight.
The Importance of War Memorials
The Importance of War Memorials
Memorials connect the present to the past and help people appreciate the sacrifices of those who fought, survived…as well as those who died. They serve as “historical touchstones,” in the words of a British organization, the War Memorials Trust.
Memorials help us focus on remembrance for both individuals and the collective group that fought –and also remind us how countries fight most wars to defend their freedom (War Memorials Trust).
Memorials play an important role not just in marking history, but in our human psychology. History professor Susan Crane writes: “The reason people want that [observation of memorials] is so that they have a location for their memories, something external, outside your head” (Litvack, 2016). Crane says that when people share the same value about an event like a war, they also express their belief in a common purpose. In fancy terms, the memorial serves as externalized memory transformed into a physical object.
Vietnam War Memorial Image: Pikrepo.org
Our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., is home to dozens of major and minor memorials, among them the four major war memorials (World War II, Korea, Marine Corps, Vietnam). Visiting these major war memorials in Washington is a way for veterans to commemorate their military service and feel acknowledged and affirmed. The memorials may bring back painful memories, but imagine having a “curated” experience, complete with a tour, a personal guardian for companionship and assistance, and a way to connect with citizens and young service members as well.
Some Facts: How Many Veterans Are we Talking About?
Some Facts: How Many Veterans Are we Talking About?
According to a report published by KQED, in 2019 there were 18.5 million veterans in the U.S. Veterans make up about 8% of the total adult population.
World War II vets (1939-46)
300,000
Korean War (1950-55)
2.2 million
Vietnam War (1961-75)
6.7 million (this is largest group)
5.5 million
While the vast majority of veterans are male, after the Gulf War there was an influx of female enlistments. There are currently about 1.6 million female veterans.
3 states had a million veterans: California (1.6), Texas (1.5), and Florida (1.4).
In terms of ethnic / racial demographics, there are 11.6 million Black veterans, 6.1 million Hispanic veterans, and 1.6 Asian veterans (to mention the most populous groups. There are also many Native-American vets).
There are 4 million with disabilities.
Enter: Honor Flight
Enter: Honor Flight
Back in 2005, it dawned on Earl Morse, a physician’s assistant (and retired Air Force captain) working at the Veteran’s Administration in Ohio, that his older patients might never have the chance to visit the World War II Memorial in Washington. Earl had military service in his blood. His father was a veteran of a Korean and Vietnam veteran. He understood the powerful experience of visiting the nation’s capital and standing before the impressive memorials to those who served (Honor Flight, 2020)
How, he wondered, could he find a way to bring older veterans directly to Washington so they could experience the war memorials for themselves? In fact, many vets had never been to Washington. This could be their first—and last—visit.
At first Earl tried a small-scale approach and recruited a number of private pilots like himself to take veterans to D.C. That very first Honor Flight, back in 2005, consisted of six small private planes carrying a total of 12 veterans.
This idea led Jeff Miller, a businessman from North Carolina, to up the ante. Jeff also worried that the older generation of veterans would never make it to experience the World War II Memorial in D.C. (to which he was a charter member). He found a way to charter large jets to carry veterans to the World War II Memorial through an organization he called HonorAir.
A couple of years later, in 2007, Earl and Jeff got together and merged their organizations into the Honor Flight Network. There are now more than 130 independent hubs that comprise the network (including San Diego’s organization). These hubs reach out to senior veterans (within 120 miles of the hub location) with priority given to World War II vets, Korean War survivors, and terminally ill veterans. There are, by the way, many more applicants than openings available. And as you might imagine, COVID has placed all trips on hold for now.
This short video provides a good overview of Honor Flight.
Honor Flight takes veterans to:
Some impressive numbers: 23,045 vets flew with Honor Flight in 2019
1,987 WWII
6,176 Korea
13,070 Vietnam
1,812 other
245,178 since 2005
18, 284 Guardians participated in 2019
181,501 since 2005
Mary Burn of the Emeritus Program created this wonderful Google Earth tour of the Memorials, accompanied to music...
This is a longer documentary (22 minutes) by Honor Flight San Diego. This presents a more comprehensive look at the program.
One more --a short but moving explanation of the program, from a guardian's perspective
Our Speaker: Holly Shaffner
Our Speaker: Holly Shaffner
Holly Shaffner served in the Coast Guard from 1987 to 2011, beginning as a fire control technician for 10 years before joining the Staff and Command Cadre for Officer Candidate School. She participated in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. She served on Coast Guard ships in the Bering Sea for eight years, and later worked to intercept drug traffickers and illegal migrants throughout the Caribbean.
Among her accomplishments was participation in the Haitian repatriation in 1994. She also trained 200 Coast Guard Reservists after 9/11. She served as second-in-command of a 74-person anti-terrorism team and was one of the first responders after Hurricane Katrina. She received the Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal, Coast Guard Commendation Medal and several Coast Guard Achievement Medals. She was featured of Veteran of the Day in 2018, and she was a nominee for San Diego County's Veteran of the Year in 2018.
She is currently the Military Liaison at SDSU, helping service members, Vets and military families with the school’s admission process. In addition to volunteering for Honor Flight San Diego, she also volunteers at the Veterans Museum in Balboa Park and the American Cancer Society. And, she is a golfer! She was one of 11 women to play in the first Veterans Golf Association Championship in 2015 (Pearlman, 2018).
Final Thoughts: Ways to Support Honor Flight
Final Thoughts: Ways to Support Honor Flight
You will learn much more about Honor Flight from Holly.
As years pass, the scars of war may fade. Memories may linger, for better or for worse. Soldiers who served our country going back four, five, and even six decades may well feel forgotten. That’s why it makes sense to offer one more tour—with honor.
If you’re touched by the mission of Honor Flight, there are several ways you can help out. You can contribute your financial support by accessing their Donations page.
Or if you want to make a more personal contribution, consider being a Guardian. Each Honor Flight participant must be accompanied by a guardian who makes sure the veteran’s experience is safe and enjoyable. Guardians must be able to physically assist their assigned veteran in all aspects of the travel experience (airport, airplane, hotel, memorial visits). It costs $800 to serve as a guardian (includes flight cost, hotel, meals, etc.)
References
Green, M. (2017). America’s veterans, by the numbers. Retrieved from https://www.kqed.org/lowdown/20095/u-s-veterans-by-the-numbers
Honor Flight (2016). Retrieved from https://www.honorflight.org/
Importance of war memorials (2017). Retrieved from http://www.warmemorials.org/uploads/publications/64.pdf
Litvack, E. (2016). How memorials make us remember—and forget). Retrieved from https://www.futurity.org/memorials-history-1289512-2/
Pearlman, N. (2018, April 9). Veteran of the Day Holly Shaffner. Retrieved from blogs.va.gov: https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/47098/coast-guard-veteran-holly-shaffner/
Schaeffer, K. (2020). On 75th anniversary of V-E Day, about 300,000 American WW veterans are alive. Retrieved from ) https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/05/08/on-75th-anniversary-of-v-e-day-about-300000-american-wwii-veterans-are-alive/
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