Book Review: Honor Flight: Celebrating America's Veterans

 Honor Flight: Celebrating America's Veterans by Jeff Gottesfeld, illustrated by Matt Tavares, Candlewick Press, Somerville, Massachusetts, 2026.

Thi is a b ook about something I had never heard of, Honor Flights.  These are flights where they take former service men and women to sites where they served.  This includes "Kilroy, Squid G.I. Joe, Airman, Jarhead, WAC or WAVE."  The flight took the veterans to many Washington D.C. memorial sights where they were honored.  This included the Iwo Jima Memorial, Viet Nam War Memorial, Military Women Memorial, WWII Memorial, Korean War Memorial.  But the most important honor was when they flew home and were greeted at the Airport, something that many of the veterans had missed due to conflict over the Viet Nam War.  At the end of the flight they were given letters from school children thanking them for their service.  I think this is an important book geared to children.

Ira H. Hayes Memorial, Sacaton, Arizona

 Ira Hayes is Pima.  During WWII he served as a Marine on Iwo Jima.  He was one of the Marines who helped raise the flag on top of Mount Suribachi.  Iwo Jima was a hard fought battle and the Americans finally came out on to.  Hayes is in the picture taken by Joe Rosenthal of the event.  He was one of the six who raised the flag.  Three would later be killed on Iwo Jima.  Hayes. suffered from PTSD and fell into alcoholism which contributed to his death.  He is buried in Arlington with full honors.  He is portrayed by himself in a movie, and by others on a couple of occasions.  A popular Johnny Cash song is the ballad of Ira Hayes.

Mathew B Juan served in WWI and was the first person from Arizona to die in the war.  He died at the Battle of Catigny.  The Americans were attacking the German position and Juan was killed by a machine gun.  He too was part of the Pima people.  Initially buried in France his mother asked that his remains be returned home which he was after the war.  He is buried with honors in Sacaton.

The memorial is in Sacaton which is part of the Pima Community.  When we went there is was locked (Easter Sunday). so my pictures are from a distance.  A statue of Ira Hayes stands in front of a bronze relief statue of the Rosenthal photo.  The Rosenthal photo is also the inspiration for the Marine Memorial in Arlington.

Memorial to Matthew B Juan

Memorial to Ira H Hayes

Mathew B Juan served in WWI and was the first person from Arizona to die in the war.  He died at the battle of Catigny.  He too was part of the Pima people.

This is a mural kitty corner from the memorial and depicts earth structures and Native Americans in the sky.