View Full Version : What honor looks like: The flash mob at Gate 38 of Reagan National Airport
Team Sergeant
06-04-2012, 18:31
Great article Chris Muller! (Three of my uncles were WWII vets.)
What honor looks like: The flash mob at Gate 38 of Reagan National Airport
May 23, 2012
By Chris Muller
Honor is a hard term to describe. It doesn’t have a color or weight or shape. If someone were to ask me what honor looked like, I’d probably struggle with what to say.
But something happened on May 23, 2012 at 9:31 a.m. at Gate 38 of Reagan National Airport that might change that. A flash mob of sorts broke out. But not like you’ve seen on YouTube with highly choreographed dance numbers or people singing a song in unison. In fact, virtually all of the participants of this “flash mob” didn’t know they would be participating until moments before it happened.
Let me explain. Shortly before 9:30 over the loud speakers, a US Airways gate attendant announced that an Honor Flight of World War II veterans would be arriving momentarily and encouraged anyone passing by to help greet them. Five or six people looked like they were officially part of the welcoming committee, and the rest of the people in the secure section of the airport were regular old travelers going somewhere.
Then I had a terrible thought. What if these veterans came off the plane and just those five or six individuals were there to greet them. I walked a gate over to help see the veterans out.
But – then it happened and frankly, I wasn’t expecting it. All throughout the terminal, people left their gates and gathered around gate 38. A few active military personnel in plain clothes approached the gate attendant and politely asked if they could join in the salute within the jet way as the heros first stepped off the plane. Every human being in the terminal stood at attention and faced the door.
Someone held up an old newspaper from 1945 that had a banner headline that said, “Nazis Quit!” And when I saw that newspaper, I realized that World War II wasn’t just a chapter in a history book. It was men and women who saw an evil like the world has never seen before and traveled across the world to meet that evil. And they defeated it.
I wonder if in 1945, any of those brave soldiers could ever imagine that 67 years later, we’d still be basking in the freedom that they preserved. And some of those heros were about to walk through Gate 38.
The first soldier walked through the door. Old, frail and needing help walking. And every person I could see in the entire airport stood and applauded. No – maybe cheered is more like it.
But here’s the thing – the applause didn’t stop. For a full 20 minutes, as veteran by veteran stepped out of the jet way, the US Airways wing of Reagan National Airport thundered in appreciation. Travelers stepped out for the opportunity to shake their hand while others held back tears.
This is the America we picture in our heads. Heros getting a hero’s welcome and those who enjoy the freedom adequately conveying their gratitude.
Now, I know what honor looks like.
http://www.mullerover.com/2012/05/23/what-honor-looks-like-the-flash-mob-at-gate-38-of-reagan-national-airport/
-looks-like-the-flash-mob-at-gate-38-of-reagan-national-airport
Wish I coulda been there.
Wish I coulda been there.
I echo Dusty's quote.
Powerful stuff. It's really nice to see people doing the right thing.
Snaquebite
06-04-2012, 20:34
Gotta love it...a lot different than 33-36 years ago....
That really made my day. Thanks for posting TS.
greenberetTFS
06-04-2012, 20:55
If after seeing that,you may have a little tear starting to run down your cheek,don't feel like your getting a little soft,instead
Thank God Your An American.........:lifter :lifter :lifter :lifter
Big Teddy
Great stuff. Good post.
There are many things we all have in common in this Country....let us hope we get a leader that understands and capitalizes on that.
God has Blessed America, we all know it. I just wish the rest did.
Barbarian
06-05-2012, 06:10
That was the coolest thing I've seen in a long while.
1stindoor
06-05-2012, 06:29
What a great start to my day. Thank you.
cetheridge
06-05-2012, 07:23
What a great start to my day. Thank you.
Absolutely!!!
A "ray of sunshine" amid the dreary daily news. :)
Excellent post....thanks, TS.
Makes me proud to be an American
I echo Dusty's quote.
Me too.
Dragbag036
01-04-2013, 18:28
The frau told me about a viewing of Honor Flight in Gaithersburg, MD. Twelve more tickets have to be sold in the next five days for the viewing to take place. There is another showing on the 31st of January in Baltimore, MD if enough tickets are sold.
Please spread the word.
Happy New Year to all.
To quote from the website:
"Honor Flight" is a moving film about a community coming together to celebrate the World War II veterans in their lives, sending them on an unforgettable journey to visit their memorial in Washington, D.C. It chronicles the stories of veterans Joe Demler, survivor of a Nazi Prison Camp, Harvey Kurz, Iwo Jima survivor, Orville Lemke, struggling with cancer but wanting to see the memorial and Julian Plaster, now a published poet. Honor the veterans in your life by attending this touching film, it will change the way you look at life and the freedom you enjoy thanks to their service
The link to the website to purchase tickets is: http://www.tugg.com/events/2491
Trapper John
01-04-2013, 20:19
TS, you made my day {Salute}
Great stuff. Good post.
There are many things we all have in common in this Country....let us hope we get a leader that understands and capitalizes on that.
PRB- We shall persevere - We always have and always will because that is what unites us - that is who we are! You and all of the Brothers on this site are testament to that hope and are the next generation of the standard bearers of that dream. Keep the faith Brother, keep the faith. {Salute}
Team Sergeant
01-04-2013, 23:16
TS, you made my day {Salute}
I just posted it but it was sent to me by another SF soldier. 99% of what the SF guys send me cannot be posted on this website.
In doing so would send most non-SF members off screaming like a three year old with their hair on fire. But that 1%, thats another story.
outstanding! maybe there is hope
I just posted it but it was sent to me by another SF soldier. 99% of what the SF guys send me cannot be posted on this website.
In doing so would send most non-SF members off screaming like a three year old with their hair on fire. But that 1%, thats another story.
you tease
Dragbag036
02-21-2013, 13:07
Welcome to Honor Flight 2013. We have 102 flights on the BWI schedule!
Honor Flight, the Movie update:
Now available for special order on DVD. Go to: http://www.honorflightthemovie.com/dvd/ Thanks to Ken Madison for alerting me to that.
Following is important information. Please read as there are changes from last year.
Gate Access Pass (GAP) Requests
We have a new email account for GAP requests this year: bwigap13@gmail.com. As a reminder, we ask that you use this account for GAP request purposes only. If you have a question for an individual, i.e., Jean Case or myself, please use our personal email addresses.
Please note that everyone (babes in arms included) need a GAP. Picture ID is not required for those under the age of 18 and children under 12 do not have to remove their shoes. Also, volunteers 75 and older can leave their shoes and a light jacket on. If the shoes set off the alarm, you will be asked to take them off and go through the screening again.
No changes in the information needed from last year:
Please put on the subject line the date(s) you are requesting GAPs for. Multiple dates can be requested in one email. Please create a new email each time you request a GAP. Last year, several people would forward an old request with an old date on the subject line. This made it confusing.
In the body of the email list the date(s) (duplication, but also a double check), name(s) as it appears on the government issued photo ID (first name, middle initial and last name), date of birth in mm/dd/yy format and gender.
Please submit them like this: John E. Doe, 05/23/87, Male
This allows us to copy and paste into the draft emails for GAPs for date(s) you requested.
Reminder for our Military personnel. If you are using your personal email account to request GAPs, would you please indicate in the body of the email that you are military. When we submit our request to the airlines we divide it into military and civilian categories because (a) it's quicker to distribute when there's a large number of people and (b) we like to boast about how many military are supporting Honor Flights. Your help would be greatly appreciated so that we can continue to distribute the GAPs efficiently and give our military credit for their volunteering hours.
Please send your request a minimum of 36 hours before the first flight is due in. Earlier definitely helps us out so we don't have a big surge of requests close to the deadline.
We will respond to your GAP email if it is received on time. If it is late, you will not receive a confirmation. Of course, you are welcome to come and greet outside of security. If you did send in on time and have not received a confirmation, which should be same day or next day, please resend to the GAP account and copy me and jcase928@gmail.com.
Please note: NO gaps will be requested on the day of the flight. Only people with BWI Security Badges will be able to pick up GAPs from the airline.
With the exception of flights coming into the International terminal (Miami Air) the designated pick up location for GAPs is in the area near Door 7 on the upper level. Please be there one hour ahead of flight arrival. A volunteer will be at door 7 with GAPs until 30 minutes before flight arrival. If you arrive after that time, please pick up your GAP at the BWI Information desk at D Concourse.
If you came for the arrival and wish to return in the evening, your GAP issued in the morning will be used again. Please remember to bring it with you.
Information for Greeting Flights Returning to the Airport: Buses for Air Tran and Southwest flights will return to door 2. An exception is Honor Flight Rochester, which returns to door 7. Flights departing from D Concourse will return to door 12. Flights departing from the International Terminal (E concourse) will return to doors 17/18. All designated doors are on the upper level (departures). If you wish to go through security and have a GAP from the morning please bring it with you. If you have requested a GAP, please go to the appropriate door and one of the Honor Flight volunteers will have your GAP.
Parking validation policy: You need to park in the hourly garage across from the terminal (if you need to take a bus you are in the wrong garage). We will wait for you up to 30 minutes before the posted arrival time of the first flight. If you arrive after that time parking will be validated at completion of arrival of the last flight for the morning. If you sign up too late to get a GAP and greet outside security, your parking pass will still be validated. Also when you exit the hourly garage, please do not use the "prepaid" lane. Yes, your parking is free, but it is not "prepaid".
Schedule: The schedule should be self explanatory - the first column is the arrival date of the flight, the second column has the Hub name, as well as the departing airport. ** in the second column indicates flights departing on a day different to their arrival. The schedule is attached as a .pdf
Dragbag036
04-20-2013, 08:46
I was able to attend my first Honor Flight today. Got up at 5 a.m. so I wouldn't miss it. The frau was right on my heels, and boy did she need a handkerchief. I will be doing more. It was amazing. They did an all out call because it was so early in the morning and participants included Naval Academy kids, MC's, and soccer moms. The whole terminal pretty much erupted in a roar. There were two flights that came in and each one received a salute with firetruck hoses. Some of the vets thought it was raining that hard. Other passengers that were getting on other flights even stopped to cheer as they realized what was going on. I got the card of the MC riders and will be joining them next time with the escort into DC.
Stay safe Brothers and thank you for your service. The last pic is for my Vietnam Vets :lifter
One of these clips erases hours of the media twisting the news to make it fit their political agenda. Had Chris Matthews or Piers Morgan seen this they would have railed for hours about "phony patriotism", and probably added "and it offended any German and Japanese tourists that were in the airport and trapped into watching this spectacle." And this was at Reagan Airport in Washington, DC, the home of attack America and political correctness.
Well Chris, Wolf, Piers and the rest of the Fascist press, that was America speaking, the America that exists outside of your cloistered Northeast Corridor. The America where people live that love their God, Country and military, that don't give a damn what happens in NYC, who doesn't care what star is boffing some other starts old lady, who is getting sick and tired of bunch of whining spoiled brats complaining about our savings accounts, but love the 68 million vacation tab we are stuck with by their "diety".
You are awakening these Americans at your own peril, these are the "makers", those who work to make a better world for their families, the Americans of fly over country, who are getting sick and tired of the "let them eat cake" crap that is the current rage in the Capital and its lackey press.