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Veteran Honors and Remembrances

World War II veterans are honored during commemorative ceremonies, reflecting their legacy with emotional reunions and tribute events.

World War II Veterans and representatives of those who could not be in attendance receive a challenge coin at the Eternal Heroes Monument in Normandy, France, June 2, 2022. World War II Veterans and representatives of the 82nd Airborne Division and 101st Airborne Divisions (Air Assault) came to honor fallen Paratroopers who liberated Ravenoville in June of 1944.

Col. Christopher Lantagne, 142nd Wing Vice Commander, speaks with Dick Shores, a Vietnam veteran, at Portland International Airport (PDX), September 30th, 2022, Portland, Ore. 142nd Wing leadership, along with members of the United States Coast Guard, were present to send off a group of 56 veterans departing to Washington D.C. as part of the Honor Flight Program. The Honor Flight Program was initiated in 2005, and provides roundtrip flights and chaperones to veterans wishing to visit various war memorials in Washington D.C.

A retired U.S. army soldier stands during the playing of the National Anthem during the Vietnam Veterans Recognition ceremony on Lejeune Memorial Gardens, Jacksonville, North Carolina, April 30, 2022. The ceremony honors all those who sacrificed while celebrating the accomplishments and perseverance of all Vietnam veterans.

Paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division march to Sainte-Mère-Église following the Airborne Memorial Ceremony in Normandy, France, June 6, 2022. Paratroopers come to Normandy to celebrate the triumph and victory of the 82nd Airborne Division in liberating Normandy from Nazi rule.

Audience members record video footage during a combat search and rescue demonstration at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 9, 2022. Air Rescue Association members, who were once a part of the rescue community, watched the demonstration and attended a ceremony to celebrate the HH-60W Jolly Green II meeting the criteria for initial operational capability and being postured for declaration.

Audience members record video footage during a combat search and rescue demonstration at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 9, 2022. Air Rescue Association members, who were once a part of the rescue community, watched the demonstration and attended a ceremony to celebrate the HH-60W Jolly Green II meeting the criteria for initial operational capability and being postured for declaration.

060818-N-3323B-003. Base: Washington Navy Yard State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

220429-N-GK686-1162 NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA, Italy (Apr. 29, 2022) Capt. Aaron Shoemaker, Naval Air Station Sigonella commanding officer, helps his mother on stage during his change of command ceremony on NAS Sigonella, Apr. 29, 2022. NAS Sigonellas strategic location enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to deploy and respond as required, ensuring security and stability in Europe, Africa and Central Command.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and aides to Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii for commemorative events on the 65th anniversary of the Japanese attack

Soldiers from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) participate in Flags-In”, where Soldiers placed U.S. flags at the headstones and niche of service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Va. Over 250,000 flags were planted at the final resting place of our Nation's fallen. (U.S. Army photos by: Cpl. Gabriel J. Bacchus)

Brian Francis reads a poem during a Ceremony of Remembrance at Stanwick Lakes, England, Feb. 22, 2024. U.S. and U.K. leaders gathered to honor 17 Airmen who died in a midair collision on Feb. 22, 1944, involving B-17 Flying Fortresses from the 303rd Bombardment Group at RAF Molesworth and the 384th Bombardment Group at RAF Grafton Underwood. The Airmen were part of Operation Argument, or "The Big Week," targeting enemy industrial sites and aircraft facilities in Central Europe to secure Allied air superiority for the upcoming landings in France in June 1944. Air Force

Medal of Honor recipient retired Army Maj. John J. Duffy is inducted into the Pentagon Hall of Heroes, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., July 6, 2022. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

Former POW's lay wreathes during the annual POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 9, 2008. The ceremony is held every year to commemorate the men and women who have been held captive by enemy forces and to pay homage to those that are still unaccounted for.

More than 30 World War II veterans attended and were honored during the Carre de Choux (Cabbage Patch) Ceremony in Carentan, France, June 3, 2022. This ceremony commemorates the 78th Anniversary of D-Day, the largest multi-national amphibious landing and operational military airdrop in history. The Cabbage Patch Commemoration Ceremony and Parade paid homage to the Paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division who fought enemy forces occupying this area surrounding Carentan.

Parents wait for their son's arrival aboard the guided missile cruiser USS THOMAS S. GATES (CG-51) as the ships of the aircraft carrier USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67) battle group return from deployment in the Persian Gulf area during Operation Desert Storm. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM Base: Naval Air Station, Norfolk State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Nicolas R. Applegate, the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic (FMFLANT), Marine Forces Command (MARFORCOM), Marine Forces Northern Command (MARFOR NORTHCOM) adjutant, reads Gen. John A. Lejeune's birthday message at Ruritan Club, Chesapeake, Va., Nov. 9, 2022. Marines with FMFLANT, MARFORCOM, MARFOR NORTHCOM, and their respective Headquarters and Service Battalion, visited the local veteran to celebrate the U.S. Marine Corps 247th annual birthday and reaffirm the ethos of once a Marine, always a Marine. Eddie Vincek honorably fought during the battle of Iwo Jima which was one of the last and most violent struggles of the World War II campaign in the Pacific.

World War II veteran and former Army Air Corps Lieutenant Richard Hank Sciaroni sits with Major General Paul D. Monroe, the Adjutant General and Commander of the California National Guard, while United States Representative Anna G. Esho, of the 14th Congressional District, California speaks. Rep. Eshoo was instrumental in the effort to award 1LT Sciaroni the Bronze Star for his actions during the war. LT. Sciaronis was a navigator on a B-24 that was shot down over Germany, he lead three of his fellow air crew member to safety after more than two weeks behind enemy lines. LT. Sciaroni was never awarded the medal because of interruptions in his chain of command and deaths of senior officers.... Complete Scene Caption: World War II veteran and former Army Air Corps Lieutenant Richard Hank Sciaroni sits with Major General Paul D. Monroe, the Adjutant General and Commander of the California National Guard, while United States Representative Anna G. Esho, of the 14th Congressional District

111127-N-ZZ999-032NORFOLK (Nov. 27, 2011) Capt. William C. Hamilton Jr., center, commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65), visits with retired sailors and visitors as they look at a cruise book from 1967. Enterprise celebrated the 50th anniversary of her commissioning Nov. 25, and is preparing for her 22nd and final deployment.

World War II Veterans greet French and Americans at a welcoming ceremony June 2, 2022 at Aéroport de Deauville Saint Gatien des Bois, France. Together, the US and our indispensable European allies are demonstrating the strength of alliance and dedicated resolve borne out of D-Day 78 years ago and forged over almost eight decades of combat-credible cooperative security.

Assistant Adjutant General, Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Mark A. Crosby salutes veteran attendees at the Linn County Veterans Day Parade in Albany, Ore., November 11, 2022.

More than 30 World War II veterans attended and were honored during the Carre de Choux (Cabbage Patch) Ceremony in Carentan, France, June 3, 2022. This ceremony commemorates the 78th Anniversary of D-Day, the largest multi-national amphibious landing and operational military airdrop in history. The Cabbage Patch Commemoration Ceremony and Parade paid homage to the Paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division who fought enemy forces occupying this area surrounding Carentan.

U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Joseph Harclerode, 325th Fighter Wing public affairs officer, talks with a senior citizen veteran at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Dec. 9, 2022. Local senior citizen veterans who attended Tyndalls 32nd Annual Golden Age Holiday Party had the opportunity to meet base leadership and Airmen from across the installation.

060504-N-1561L-002. Base: Port Everglades State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

World War II veteran attended and was honored during the Carre de Choux (Cabbage Patch) Ceremony in Carentan, France, on June 3, 2022. This ceremony commemorates the 78th Anniversary of D-Day, the largest multi-national amphibious landing and operational military airdrop in history. The Cabbage Patch Commemoration Ceremony and Parade paid homage to the Paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division who fought enemy forces occupying this area surrounding Carentan.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (June 1, 2013) Adm. Bill E. Gortney, commander of Fleet Forces Command, shakes hands with Medal of Honor recipient Robert R. Ingram as Rear Adm. Jack Scorby, commander of Navy Region Southeast, applauds during a special tribute at the 16th Annual Battle of Midway Dinner in St. Augustine, Fla. Ingram, a former Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class, was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the Vietnam War.

SATTAHIP, THAILAND (Oct. 10, 2022) Radford Mays, Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) Post 9876 honor guard captain, from La Habra, California, participates in a ship tour aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) as the ship conducts a scheduled port visit in Sattahip, Thailand, Oct. 10. Higgins is assigned to Commander, Task Force 71/Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navys largest forward-deployed DESRON and the U.S. 7th fleets principal surface force.

220901-N-LY580-1006 ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. (Sept. 1, 2022) Benjamin Russell High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps Cadets Sean Jones (back-left) and Courtney Burgess visit with veterans at Bill Nichols State Veterans Home.

040630-F-0681L-024. Base: Hector Field State: North Dakota (ND) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ANG

Veterans of World War II receive warm greetings from the Normandy community following the Airborne Memorial Ceremony in Normandy, France, June 6, 2022. Paratroopers come to Normandy to celebrate the triumph and victory of the 82nd Airborne Division in liberating Normandy from Nazi rule.

Rear Adm. Darius Banaji, deputy director for operations for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), escorts family members during an interment ceremony held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Sept. 21, 2022. DPAA and attending family members payed their respects and honored the life of Petty Officer 1st Class Beoin Corzatt, who was assigned to the USS Oklahoma when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft during World War II. Corzatt was accounted for on Dec. 17, 2020, nearly 80 years after the attacks on Pearl Harbor.

Veterans of World War II receive warm greetings from the Normandy community following the Airborne Memorial Ceremony in Normandy, France, June 6, 2022. Paratroopers come to Normandy to celebrate the triumph and victory of the 82nd Airborne Division in liberating Normandy from Nazi rule.

World War II veteran is honored during the Carre de Choux (Cabbage Patch) Ceremony in Carentan, France, June 3, 2022. This ceremony commemorates the 78th Anniversary of D-Day, the largest multi-national amphibious landing and operational military airdrop in history. The Cabbage Patch Commemoration Ceremony and Parade paid homage to the Paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division who fought enemy forces occupying this area surrounding Carentan.

Fort McCoy Garrison Commander Col. Michael Poss and Alan McCoy, grandson of Fort McCoy founder Maj. Gen. Robert Bruce McCoy, stop for a photo together July 8, 2022, in front of Veterans Memorial Plaza at Fort McCoy, Wis. Descendants of Maj. Gen. Robert Bruce McCoy visited the post July 8 to learn more about their familys military history with the installation.

U.S. Marine Corps Base Hawaii hosted World War II veterans Don Graves, Carl Flinner, and Jack Holder during the 81st Anniversary of the Attacks on Pearl Harbor Remembrance MCB Hawaii, Dec. 5 2022. MCBH Leadership met with the veterans and provided a tour of the installation. (U.S. Marine Corps photos by 2nd Lt. Ethan H. Valk)

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (July 30, 2014) U.S. Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Ted Carter hands Sally Larson the national ensign in honor of her husband, retired Adm. Charles Larson, during his funeral services at the U.S. Naval Academy cemetery. Larson twice served as superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy from 1983 to 1986, and 1994 to1998.

Retired U.S. Army Air Forces Chief Master Sgt. Mel Jenner, 452nd Bomber Group radio operator, looks down at his commemorative brick for the first time at the National World War II Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana, Sept. 14, 2022. Jenners late first wife purchased a commemorative brick to honor his military service. Jenner began his 26 year military career by training as a radio operator at what was then known as Keesler Army Airfield.

Retired U.S. Army Air Forces Chief Master Sgt. Mel Jenner, 452nd Bomber Group radio operator, looks down at his commemorative brick for the first time at the National World War II Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana, Sept. 14, 2022. Jenners late first wife purchased a commemorative brick to honor his military service. Jenner began his 26 year military career by training as a radio operator at what was then known as Keesler Army Airfield.

World War II Veterans and representatives of those who could not be in attendance receive a challenge coin at the Eternal Heroes Monument in Normandy, France, June 2, 2022. World War II Veterans and representatives of the 82nd Airborne Division and 101st Airborne Divisions (Air Assault) came to honor fallen Paratroopers who liberated Ravenoville in June of 1944.

Secretary Gale Norton with flag from ceremony at the Flight 93 temporary memorial, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, honoring the passengers and crew ofthe plane hijacked on September 11, 2001. Norton visited the site to swear in the members of the Flight 93 National Memorial Federal Advisory Commission

031111-F-3992M-003. Base: Tyndall Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AETC

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger, the 38th commandant of the Marine Corps, and Sgt. Maj. Troy E. Black, the 19th sergeant major of the Marine Corps, reveals the placard to the Home of the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps during the SMMC Home Dedication Ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C. Aug. 12, 2022. Sgt. Maj. Black is the first SMMC to live at the Barracks and the residence is now the designated home for all future SMMC.

Mr. Raymond Wallace, a U.S. Army World War II veteran who served with the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, talks to Hetty van den Tillaart, a member of the Municipality of Meierijstad, during a meet and greet with World War II veterans and Soldiers assigned to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Veghel, Netherlands, Sept. 15, 2022. The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) honors World War II veterans who demonstrated selfless service and sacrifice that characterizes the Greatest Generation in defense of global peace and security.

U.S. Army Col. Jim Sadler, U.S. Army attaché of the U.S. embassy in Hague, represents the United States in a ceremony during the anniversary of Operation Market Garden at the Robert Frost Bridge, Arnhem, Netherlands., Sep. 16, 2022. These European citizen remember the sacrifice from the 1st British Parachute Regiment and honor the ones who lost their lives liberating the Netherlands during World War II.

Frank G. Willetto, an 84-year-old Navajo Code Talker, renders honors during the playing of the national anthem at a ceremony commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Va., Feb. 19, 2010. In February 1945 the United States launched its first assault against the Japanese at Iwo Jima, resulting in some of the fiercest fighting of the war.

220909-N-TR635-0002GROTON, CONN - Director of Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), Rear Adm. Samuel Cox (Ret.) delivers remarks at the grand re-opening ceremony of the Historic Ship Nautilus in Groton, Conn. Commissioned in 1954, Nautilus was not only the worlds first nuclear-powered submarine, but also the world's first submarine to reach the North Pole in 1958. Serving for 26 years, the ship decommissioned in 1980 with 2,500 dives and deploying 510,000 miles fueled by nuclear power, and since 1986, has served as an exhibit at the Submarine Force Museum that allowed patrons to embark the only nuclear submarine open to the public. During the scheduled closure, Nautilus received $35 million in refurbishments and preservation maintenance to ensure the historic ship will be able to inform, educate, and engage the public for the next 30 years.

Arlington Cemetery Parade float, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, USA.

Machinery Repairman 2nd Class Bowen Kincaid, right, from Battle Creek, Michigan, assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78) engineering department, speaks with Air Force veteran Phil Avery during a visit to the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as part of a namesake visit, September 1, 2022. Twelve Ford Sailors traveled to Michigan for the ships annual namesake visit to learn about the legacy of former President Gerald R. Ford and connect with local community members in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor and Albion, Michigan.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry poses with D-Day veterans Art Staymate of Maryland and Stephen Weiss of London in the shadow of Arc d'Triomphe before a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of VE Day in Paris, France on May 8, 2015.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Melvin Morris shakes hands with President Barack Obama after receiving the Medal of Honor inside the White House, Washington D.C., on March 18, 2014, Sgt. 1st Class Morris received the Medal of Honor for his heroic deeds during the Vietnam war. President Barack Obama presented 24 Medals of Honor in a rare ceremony meant to commemorate acts of bravery that the government concluded should of been recognized long ago.

020314-F-2703B-640. Base: Arlington National Cemetery State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. - Mr. Thomas W. Newton and Dr. Harry Quinton, retired sergeants of the Tuskegee Airmen, answer audience questions during the Breaking Barriers Alliance Summer Festival at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, July 30, 2022. As the last two living Tuskegee Airmen, Newton and Quinton shared their extensive history and discussed the adversity as well as success they experienced while in service.

Retired Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, namesake of the guided missile destroyer ARLEIGH BURKE (DDG 51), looks out from the bridge during the ship's sea trials off the coast of Maine. The ARLEIGH BURKE is one of the few ships that has ever been named for a living person. Country: Atlantic Ocean (AOC)

Marie DeMartine, resident of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home at Paramus, New Jersey, is one of the 10 residents at the Home who recently marked their 100th, and in one case, 105th birthday, Feb. 29, 2024. During World War II, DeMartine worked for Ryan Aeronautical in California building airplanes for the war effort. The four men and six women each received a signed letter and coin from Maj. Gen. Lisa J. Hou, D.O., The Adjutant General of New Jersey, as well as certificates of commendation from Bergen County and the Bergen County Board of Commissioners. (New Jersey National Guard

Descendants of Maj. Gen. Robert Bruce McCoy, the man whom Fort McCoy, Wis., is named after, visit the Fort McCoy History Center on July 8, 2022, during a special visit to the post by the McCoy family. The McCoy descendants visited the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area and all it offers to learn more about their familys military history with the installation.

CORONADO, Calif. (Feb. 22, 2013) Damage Controlman 3rd Class Milos Sacharzewski shows former President Jimmy Carter a naval firefighting thermal imager as part of a damage control static display in the hangar bay aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carter, former first lady Rosalynn Carter and former Secretary of the Navy John Dalton visited Carl Vinson with more than 200 members of The Carter Center.

Veteran with handlebar moustache, beret, medals and flag in a parade of Veterans of the D-Day Landings at the start of the 60th Anniversary Commemorat...

Veterans of the Vietnam War were invited to the 81st Readiness Division by Commanding General Maj. Gen. Robert D. Harter for a ceremony held in their honor yesterday.

Edward Kooper, brother of 1st Lt. Clark Kooper, a U.S. Army Air Force pilot shot down during World War II, cradles a U.S. flag given to him by the Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. Honor Guard, at the Nebraska Veterans Cemetery, Alliance, Neb., May 27, 2011. Mr. Kooper was finally able to lay his brother to rest, more than 66 years after his plane was shot down.

Alan McCoy, grandson of Fort McCoy founder Maj. Gen. Robert Bruce McCoy, stops for a photo in front of a History Center display about his grandfather July 8, 2022, at Fort McCoy, Wis. McCoy family descendants visited the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area and all it offers to learn more about their familys military history with the installation.

Portrait of elderly Korean War veteran

Retired Col. Gail Halvorsen signs an autograph for Tucker Richard, 5, of Redfield, Ark., in the Heritage and Heroes tent at the Heritage and Heroes Open House and Airshow at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., Sept. 8, 2012. Halvorsen was among a group of war veterans signing for the public.

Senior Airman Orry Arcemont, Air Force Global Strike Command Honor Guard Member of the Year recipient, salutes Gen. Anthony Cotton, Air Force Global Strike Command commander after receiving his medal at AFGSCs Outstanding Airmen of the Year Medallion Ceremony May 9, 2022 at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. AFGSC formally recognized its Outstanding Airmen of the Year recipients with a week-long tour of Barksdale Air Force Base.

061203-N-4774B-017. Base: Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

061027-N-1810F-015. Base: Naval Station, Jacksonville State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The Rhode Island Army National Guard and approximately 400 loved ones, welcomed home more than 100 soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment after a ten-month deployment to Kosovo, Feb. 17, 2024, at Quonset Air National Guard Base, North Kingstown, RI. They were deployed in support of Operation Joint Guardian, a NATO peacekeeping mission under the Kosovo Force (KFOR). KFORs mission is to provide a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement in Kosovo in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1244. Army National Guard

061207-N-4774B-054. Base: Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Three generations: Newly-commissioned 2nd Lt. Morgan Davis (left), receives his first salute as a U.S. Army officer from his grandfather, former Spc. Thomas Davis, 85 (seated) as his father, Col. Scott Thomas Davis (ret) looks on during the Silver Dollar Salute ceremony in Military Heritage Plaza after Clemson University's Spring commissioning ceremony for ROTC cadets, May 11, 2022. Davis will be an infantry officer and ships out for training at Fort Benning in two weeks. (Photo by Ken Scar)

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Eric M. Smith, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, attends and speaks at the ribbon cutting ceremony at Modern Day Marine 2022 at the Walter E. Convention Center, Washington D.C., May 10, 2022. The Modern Day Marine expo brings together Marines, veterans, and industry partners to collaborate on the innovations and capabilities that ensure the Marine Corps remains capable of winning tomorrows battles.

Former F-105 Thunderchief pilots and their family members visit Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Nov. 3, 2022. They visited Davis-Monthan during an F-105 pilot reunion where they saw an A-10 Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team training flight, talked to current pilots, and received a history brief on the 355th Wing.

GREAT LAKES, Ill. (Oct. 05, 2012) USS Abraham Lincoln Command Master Chief Susan A. Whitman meets Joan Hampton, a member of the W.A.V.E.S. and one of the first women to join the Navy at Recruit Training Command, the Navy's only boot camp. The U.S. Navy has a 237-year heritage of defending freedom and projecting and protecting U.S. interests around the globe. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting.

France, Normandy, Arromanches. 66th Anniversary of D-Day. George & Iris Lavis, Normandy Veterans from the UK.

061207-N-4965F-004. Base: Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Mary Page of Denver, Colo., daughter of former 185th Fighter Group Commander Col. Warren Nelson, holds a U.S. flag that was presented to her at the funeral of her father in Sioux City, Iowa on October 14, 2022. Nelson was the last World War II veteran to serve as 185th Commander when he retired in 1980, he passed away this week at the age of 97. U.S. Air National Guard photo Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot 185th ARW Wing PA

Former members of the Cordelia Fire District stand with Robert Dittmer, right, 102 years old, in front of a 1944 Seagrave fire engine at Travis Air Force Base, California, Dec. 6, 2022. Dittmer served as a firefighter during the August 1950 crash of a B-29 Superfortress at what was then Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base. Brig. Gen. Robert Travis, commander of the 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing and the 9th Bombardment Wing, was on board and did not survive. Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base was officially renamed Travis Air Force Base on October 20th, 1950 in honor of the base's fallen commander.

Clifford Good, World War II veteran, poses for a picture with Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Blount, 375th Air Mobility Wing command chief and Col. Chris Robinson, 375th AMW commander, during Goods birthday celebratory luncheon at the First Baptist Church in OFallon, Illinois, Aug. 28, 2022. Blount and Robinson presented Good with a birthday card signed by members of Team Scott.

Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Trish Elliston, a search and rescue mission coordinator at Sector Houston-Galveston, interacts with survivors of a boat collision after a ceremony at the sector in Houston, Texas, Oct. 26, 2022. Elliston and four other command center personnel received awards for their role in a search and rescue case involving a collision between a towing vessel and two recreational vessels near Galveston, Texas, July 30, 2022.

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Jose Rodela receives the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama inside the White House, Washington D.C., on March 18, 2014,Master Sgt. Jose Rodela is receiving the Medal of Honor for his heroic deeds during the Vietnam war. President Barack Obama presented 24 Medals of Honor in a rare ceremony meant to commemorate acts of bravery that the government concluded should of been recognized long ago.

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to Alpha Co., 2-10 Assault Helicopter Battalion return home to their families on Fort Drum, Ny Sep. 7, 2022. VooDoo Soldiers spent almost a year in Iraq defending the nation.

Dave Newkirk receives a gift from U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jack Stanfield, veteran, during the 2022 DoD Warrior Games in Orlando, Fla. on Aug. 28, 2022. The annual event celebrates the resiliency and dedication of wounded, ill, and injured U.S. Service Members and veterans.

Col. Lola Washington, the incoming 108th Mission Support Group commander, gives flowers to her family during the 108th MSG change of command ceremony at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Sept. 24, 2022. Washington assumed command of the 108th MSG from Col. Bernadette Maldonado who served as commander since May 2021.

Marine Safety Unit - 26-HK-133-131. Hurricane Katrina

041108-F-3050V-013. Base: Pentagon State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force retired Brig. Gen. Clarence E. Bud Anderson gives remarks during a ceremony promoting him to the honorary rank of brigadier general by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. at the Aerospace Museum of California in McClellan, California, Dec. 2, 2022. The ceremony was an opportunity to honor the 100-year-old World War II triple ace during the 75th anniversary year of the U.S. Air Forces establishment as a military service.

(From left to right) Bob Quackenbush, deputy chief of staff, Arlington National Cemetery; U.S. Army Col. (ret.) Gregory Gadson; and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Brian Gougler, sergeant of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, walk outside of the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Oct. 4, 2022. Gadson was at ANC to speak to employees as part of the National Disability Employment Awareness Month. He also participated in a Public Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Gadson has dedicated himself to the work of Wounded Warriors, veterans, and other groups who support employment and betterment of person with disabilities.

(From left to right) Bob Quackenbush, deputy chief of staff, Arlington National Cemetery; U.S. Army Col. (ret.) Gregory Gadson; and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Brian Gougler, sergeant of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, walk outside of the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Oct. 4, 2022. Gadson was at ANC to speak to employees as part of the National Disability Employment Awareness Month. He also participated in a Public Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Gadson has dedicated himself to the work of Wounded Warriors, veterans, and other groups who support employment and betterment of person with disabilities.

Coast Guard Air Station - Clearwater - Vice Admiral Thad Allen Visit - 26-HK-277-42. Hurricane Katrina

Les Kreger, a veteran who served in Destroyer Squadron 23 during World War II, holds a flag staff hung with pennants during the commissioning of the guided missile destroyer USS ARLEIGH BURKE (DDG 51). Retired ADM Arleigh Burke, for whom the ship is named, commanded the squadron in 1943. Base: Norfolk State: Virginia(VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A married couple, residents of Carentan, decorate their house in preparation for the D-Day celebrations in Normandy, France, May 31, 2022. This year, U.S. Army Europe and Africa commemorates the 78th anniversary of D-Day, the largest multinational amphibious landing and operational military airdrop in history, and highlights the U.S.' steadfast commitment to European allies and partners.

Portland Fire and Rescue Fire Boat 21 sprays water as the Kingston-class coastal defence vessel HMCS Edmonton (MM 703) arrives in Portland, Ore. for Portland Fleet Week. Portland Fleet Week is a time-honored celebration of the sea services and provides an opportunity for the citizens of Oregon to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as witness firsthand the latest capabilities of today's maritime services.

020410-M-6332G-010. Base: Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Mrs. Thomas A. Schwartz observes the III Armored Corps and Fort Hood Change of Command Ceremony held at Sadowski Field, Fort Hood, Texas. Base: Fort Hood State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Retired Air Force Col. John Walter Clark, Vietnam veteran, salutes during a wreath laying ceremony at Missouris National Veterans Memorial, Perryville, Missouri, April 8, 2022. The wall honors the men and women who gave their lives during the Vietnam War and those who remain missing.

111210-N-XK513-016NORFOLK (Dec. 10, 2011) Medal of Honor recipients autograph the book "Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty," at Navy Exchange Norfolk. The event was organized by the Medal of Honor Society and Foundation to increase awareness of what these veterans have done for their country.

World War II Re-enactment, Reading, PA

A graphic and layout displays a quote on what Veterans Day means to U.S. Army Spc. (ret.) George Cabrera on Kadena Air Base, Japan, Nov. 2, 2022. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9723 were invited to share what makes Veterans Day important to them and what they think people should know about the holiday. The graphic was created with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom. Photography for the graphic provided by Pexels and Airman 1st Class Sebastian Romawac. (U.S. Air Force graphic by Airman 1st Class Sebastian Romawac)

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