The latest Honor Flight included three women who served our country. Rita Curtis, Debra Lee, and local veteran, Carole Daniel. Daniel a 1958 graduate of Washington High School in Vinton, served in the United States Air Force from 1958-1962 as part of the Air Weather Service. All three women were added to the Military Women's Memorial Registry located at Memorial Ave & Schley Drive in Arlington, Virginia. It was established on October 18, 1997 and founded by U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught.

Daniel served as part of the 3rd Weather Group and 4th Weather Wing, based at Ent Air Force Base out of Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is the home of NORAD (North American Defense)Headquarters. The headquarters houses all branches of the US and Canadian militaries. At the time NORAD operated out of Cheyenne Mountain.

A bit of fun for the kids at Christmas time.NORAD is the unit that in addition to its normal operations, also tracks Santa Claus' journey on Christmas Eve.This began when a child accidentally called them asking about Santa, so the airman was kind enough to give them a report.

Daniel said, "the Air Weather Service (AWS) plotted weather patterns for pilots inside the lower 48 states, up and down both the Pacific, Atlantic and Texas Towers off the Gulf Coast. We had squadrons throughout the United States, Alaska and Greenland. I served in support of these units."

Daniel said that being inducted into the Military Women's Memorial was "an honor, a complete surprise to me and to the other two military women." As she toured the monuments in Washington D.C, she noted that the Military Women's Memorial was just dedicated on October 17th. She was booked on the original Honor Flight that was supposed to arrive on the 18th but that flight was canceled because of mechanical problems.

I asked what her favorite stop was, and she said that while she "loved them all, but The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Arlington Cemetery were the most special and emotional." She noted that there were two funerals while the group was there and the services included horses drawing the caissons to the cemetery.

There was a total of 86 veterans on the 45th Honor Flight. Daniel said that her husband had also gone on an Honor Flight in 2011 for his service in WWII.

A bit about the Military Women's Memorial's Hall of Honor.

Within it is a block of Colorado Yule marble, the companion piece to the one used for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

There are 200,000 Annual Visitors. The organization is a 501c3 Nonprofit under the name, "Women In Military Service For America Memorial." The Military Women's Memorial is home to a digital registry aimed at documenting all U.S. Military Women's service.

During the Military Women's Memorial Opening and Dedication Ceremony, it began with a fly-over of military aircraft, all of which were piloted by women - the first time an all-female fly-over had occurred in U.S. history.

Just some of the architectural facts about the Women's Memorial:

Architects: Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi

Size: 33,000 sqft. Lot: 4.2 acres (17,000 m2 )

The Hemicycle is 30 feet (9.1 m) high and 226 feet (69 m) in diameter

In the center of the Hemicycle is an apse 20 feet (6.1 m) across and 30 feet (9.1 m) high.

The Great Seal of the United States is carved in granite in the center of the apse arch, while to the south is seal of the U.S. Department of the Army and to the north is the seal of the U.S. Department of the Navy.

Six circular niches (three to the south and three to the north) 3 feet 6 inches (1.07 m) deep are distributed along the facade. These niches, and the apse, are inlaid with red granite from Texas. The rear wall of these niches is carved with either oak leaves or laurel leaves, symbols of bravery and victory.

The structure in which the Military Women's Memorial is housed was originally known as the Hemicycle, and built in 1932 to be a ceremonial entrance to the cemetery. It never served this purpose.

Ground was broken for the memorial in June 1995, and the structure was dedicated on October 18, 1997. Outside the building, a fountain that empties into a circular reflecting pool, paved with black granite

A brief interview with Daniel can be seen HERE.

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KFH November 12, 2022, 3:59 pm When I saw you on TV in an interview, I told my husband that the lady sure looked like Carole O'Deen!! Sure enough it was you!! Dale was stationed at Fort Carson the same time you were on the North side of Colorado Springs! Beautiful area! Thank you for your service Carole and God bless you!'
A friend from the past, Karen