The Honor Flight Network has one primary goal: honoring America’s veterans.

The national organization gets veterans to Washington, DC as a way to honor them and celebrate their service while recognizing their sacrifices.

Escalon resident Terri Beam recently took part in an Honor Flight as a chaperone for the trip and The Times did a ‘Q&A’ with her regarding the experience.

Q: When was the trip held and how long was it; also, where did you fly out from and to?

A: The trip was September 8-10. It was the 32nd Honor Flight out of the Central Valley - A Mission With Honor.

We flew out of Fresno Airport on an Allegiant airbus and flew into Baltimore Airport. Both the departure and the return trip had the local fire departments give the plane a water-cannon salute.

Where were the veterans from, mostly the Modesto area or from throughout the Central Valley?

Most of the veterans are in the Fresno area, but there are some who came from Modesto and Merced, even other outlying areas.

How did you get involved and have you done trips like this in the past?

I use to plan and take trips to Washington, DC when I taught eighth grade in Ripon. It changed my entire approach to teaching American history. Then in 2018, my son Casey was my dad’s chaperone on the Honor Flight. He was the oldest of four WWII veterans on the flight at 98 years old. I’ll never forget the profound impact the trip had on both my dad and my son. The experience they had together as they visited these incredible memorials and monuments was unforgettable. Especially the WWII Memorial, which my dad had never seen. When my dad passed away (at age 101), I couldn’t help but remember the greatest memory he had in recent years – and it was this trip. My love of our country, the men and women who serve, and the Honor Flight organization, stirred my heart to be a veteran’s chaperone.

As a member of the Honor Flight team, what were your responsibilities?

We were to be with our veteran at all times. They were always to be ‘hands-free’, which meant we carried everything for them – coffee, backpack, luggage, etc. Probably the most important and impactful way we serve them is to be their emotional support on this trip. Many of them had experiences that they’ve kept bottled up inside – the hurt runs deep, and most don’t want the vulnerability exposed. However, it’s inevitable, that once they visit their memorial – they get deeply emotional. At the Vietnam Memorial, many were able to take rubbings from the wall of friends who served and died in the war. Another veteran, was arranged to see his dad’s grave for the very first time at Arlington Cemetery.

Who were you the chaperone for on this Honor Flight?

Most of the time, family members will accompany their veterans on the trip; however, that isn’t always the case, and we had, I think 17 of us who a week before the trip met their veteran for the first time at a luncheon get together.

Jack Franco, was the veteran I accompanied. He served in Vietnam in 1969 and then was in the Coast Guard. His best friend Lupe Olivas also signed up for the draft with him at the same time. Although they didn't serve together in Vietnam, they were there the same time and remained good friends throughout their lives. Jack signed both him and Lupe up for the trip to DC. So, while those two shared a room together, I was fortunate to share a room with Valerie Salcedo, a well-known singer in the Fresno area. She sang our National Anthem and America the Beautiful on different occasions on the trip. She has gone on many Honor Flight trips.

Both men were grateful beyond measure to have been on the trip and grateful to have shared this experience with each other.

What was your favorite part of the journey?

The relationships that you make, not only with the veteran you are assigned, but with all the other veterans and chaperones. The whole support staff that goes with the group are also incredible individuals. Many have made multiple Honor Flights. There were 73 veterans, 73 chaperones, and probably 20 support staff; nurses, a doctor, veteran liaison, logistics team, bus captains. We had three buses. We sang songs from the 60’s and 70’s, heard heart-wrenching stories from those who lost loved ones in war, and gazed together at the sights of our nation’s capital that represent the valor and heroic efforts that it took to preserve our country and our freedoms.

“Freedom is Not Free” – depicted on a wall at the Korean War Memorial pretty much sums it up.

Do you have a family history of military service?

My dad served in WWII. He did two tours as a Sea Bee in Guadalcanal and Okinawa from 1942-1945.

Did you work with any legislators on the trip?

We had the privilege of going to our nation’s Capitol before the public was allowed in. We got to go into the House chamber and four different congressmen from the Central Valley spoke and graciously thanked our veterans for their service and dedication to our country.

What were the sites you visited?

US Capitol; WWII Memorial; Navy Memorial; Marine Memorial (Iwo Jima); National Army Museum; Arlington Cemetery – where we participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; Military Women’s Memoria – we had five women veterans from Vietnam; Korean Memorial – five veterans; Vietnam Memorial – 63 veterans; Fort McHenry, where we participated in a flag folding ceremony; the fort where Francis Scott Key wrote our national anthem.

Upon arrival in Baltimore, a motorcycle group called the ‘Brownies’ met us at the airport and escorted us to dinner and to our hotel. Also, the Capitol police came to our hotel the morning we went there, so they could check out our buses. They also escorted us to the Capitol; the freeways were cleared for the Honor Flight buses. When we returned to Fresno on Wednesday evening, the airport had close to 1000 people or more giving these men and women a warm hero’s welcome. Many of them never got that welcome home the first time. Bagpipers led them down the tarmac, the NAS Lemoore sailors saluted them, cheerleaders, FFA groups, Brownies and Boy Scouts, and countless family and community members lined the airport with signs, banners, flags, and loud cheers.

Anything else you would like to add?

Another very special aspect of the trip is ‘mail call.’ About an hour from when we land home, each veteran’s name is called out and they receive a large manilla envelope with cards, letters, gift cards, medals, etc., welcoming them home and thanking them for their service. This is a surprise to them – family members, community members, different school classes, friends write notes to them. I had a third grade class from Ripon write to the veterans, also, my friends and family members wrote cards as well.

I would just like to encourage anyone who has a family member or friend who is a veteran to sign them up for an Honor Flight. They try and take a flight in the fall and a flight in the spring – sometimes more if funding comes through. All veteran expenses are paid by donations to the program. Every single person I know who has gone has said it was an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. Laughter, tears, and the guts and the glory of hundreds of stories.

To learn more about the honor Flight program, visit https://www.honorflight.org