Posted on 08/10/2026 4:32:19 PM PDT by Mean Daddy
I was flying out of DCs Reagan airport yesterday and the plane at the gate I was waiting at was flying to Milwaukee. I was waiting for the plane to Omaha to replace it. There were about 20+ veterans from Korea, Vietnam etc. all wearing yellow Honor Flight t-shirts. When they started boarding, everyone by our gate started clapping and the rest of the Southwest terminal after realizing what was going on, gave them a standing ovation and clapped for a good 10-15 minutes until the last one made their way into the tunnel.
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Great post !! Thanks for honoring our veterans!!!
I have been in that terminal. It is big. Glad to hear that there was so much support for these veterans. Vietnam veterans especially did not get any kind of public welcome when they came home.
The round terminal A is the old TWA terminal. I pass through there about 4 times per year and have seen a few honor flights arriving - the applause is constant and loud for 15 minutes or so.
Yep, it is something to see. When I was traveling all the time I was surprised by such an event in Dallas airport. Vets loved it, and I was really touched by the support of everyone else.
I’m invited to Honor Flight from TX 8/28 & 29... looking forward to seeing the WWII Memorial as I’ve been to the Wall during a past Rolling Thunder....
Awesome!!!
God bless our dear vets.
Thank you for this wonderful report.
The memorials are stunning however the experience you will have with the heroes that you go with can not be compared. You will see 80 years of emotion come pouring out, so be ready :)
Lovely. Thanks for posting this.
WW II Memorial is beautifully done. Pretty awesome sight. I did Rolling Thunder for 27 years when I lived in Southern Maryland. I’d have my fellow veterans in for Memorial Weekend and we’d ride up every year. Didn’t always do the protest ride but we were there.
To Milwaukee? That’s a helluva way to treat our vets! At least they were getting out of DC.
Not to Milwaukee to DC. Rolling Thunder.
I’ve been at BWI (Baltimore) airport a few times when an Honor Flight arrives.
It’s an amazing thing to hear the applause begin from far down the terminal and move on alongside our heroes.
We also went to the WWII Memorial to greet them as they arrived by bus. Some were overcome, others stone faced and others joyful.
On the day we were there, some Andrews Sisters reenactors were there and Bob Dole was there to greet his brothers.
The Rolling Thunder First Amendment Demonstration Run
is an annual Memorial Day gathering that began in 1988. Motorcycle riders from around the nation, and even around the world rally in the Pentagon parking lots and then begin riding a designated route through the Mall area of Washington, DC. The event, often incorrectly called a parade, is an actual demonstration to bring awareness to and demand accountability for POW’s and MIA’s. It has evolved into an emotional display of respect for all who defend our country. Afterward, it is an opportunity to meet old and new friends, pay respect at the memorials and participate in other Memorial Day events.
Rolling Thunder, also known as Rolling to Remember since 2021, has drawn as many as 500,000 participants and spectators annually at its peak.
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