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After waiting almost two years, Jim Miller experienced the trip of a lifetime alongside his grandson, Elijah Statler, on an Honor Flight on Tuesday, Oct. 13. DC Miller, who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War from 1965-1969, got to spend the day in DC looking at all the monuments, calling it “an awesome trip.” This was his second time going to DC, but the first time going on Honor Flight. In fact, Miller had to wait for a year and half, before he was able to go as he explained that he signed up for it a year and half ago. “Mine was almost two years; I did it in February of 2025.” Honor Flight Miller explained the entire day as it started at 5:50 a.m. and they did not get back until 10:30 p.m. During the day, they got to see many monuments which included the World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Air Force Memorial, Marine Corps War Memorial (the Iwo Jima flag-raising statue), Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery and the women’s military memorial museum. When they got to the Vietnam War Memorial, he got to see all of the names, which included one from his graduating high school class of about 3,000. He explained that they gave him a piece of paper so that he could place it on the wall and rub it with a pencil. “There was only one guy from my high school, from my graduating class, and only one guy got killed, and so I took a scraping of his name.” Over the years, Miller said they have collected many medals and other similar stuff. “We were told that since the Vietnam memorial has been up, they have guys leave a whole bunch of stuff at the base of the walls for their fallen comrades or put their medals there.” He continued and said, “I guess, they have almost a warehouse full of stuff.” Another neat item that Miller enjoyed was getting to see the Tree of Hope statue at the Vietnam Women's Memorial, which is honoring all the nurses during the Vietnam War. “It’s really important and it's called the Tree of Hope, and honoring the nurses.” They also got to see the Arlington National Cemetery, where they got to walk around and actually saw a group of kids that were on a field trip. In addition, they also saw the headstone of the seven astronauts that died in the Challenger. When they left the cemetery, the kids applauded them, which he said, “It was neat”. Later in the day they got to see the changing of the guards and learned that they don't wear rankings, so everybody is equal. Miller found more interesting facts about the guards such as said the guide such as cleaning their weapons and shoes. The guide told them that they will inspect their rifles and will lacquer them, so they can be shiny. In addition, they also spend hours polishing their shoes, with up to two hours daily on just one of them. When Miller was in the Navy, he would spend a lot of time on his shoes, but not 2-4 hours on both shoes. “Now I remember doing not two hours, but maybe 35 to 45 minutes on one shoe, but to get it to where you wanted it.” He then was shocked to see them flipping their guns and catching them. Miller also showed a video of the Marine Silent Drill team performing and not missing a single beat. It was quite a day for Miller as he said he would do it again if he could and take someone else. “It was an awesome trip. I have to say I wouldn't mind going again and taking another one of my grandkids. I know that there were guys that had been there before. I think there was one guy that had been there once already, but he was taking somebody else.” Time in the Navy Miller first enlisted in the Navy in 1965. However, Miller said during his 18th birthday, he was supposed to register for the draft, but forgot too. A few months later, he was talking to his friend, who mentioned that he just filled out his paperwork, in which Miller had remembered that he had not signed up yet. Later, he would tell his mother and ask if he was supposed to, in which her response was “a little colorful”, according to Miller. Both Miller`s parents were also veterans, as they served in WW11. He would go on to register, in which they asked why he was so late. He had really no answer and just plainly said, “I have no excuse.” At the time of registering, he was in college and decided that it wasn't for him. His father told him that he had two choices, either get a job or enlist. He would go on to enlist in the Navy in August of 1965. He was just in time as well as he explained. “In September, they drafted 100,000 guys, so I lucked out there in a sense.” During his four years in the Navy, he was in Naval Communication Intelligence, which is an intercept operator. He would intercept communications of certain countries. During his 10 month stay in Florida at the auxiliary air station, he learned Morse Code, which he still does today at the Kalona Historical Village. He did not end up going to Vietnam, but he made his way around the word, as he ended up in Japan for 25 months and then Hawaii, prior to leaving in November of 1969, where he received his separation orders after President Nixon at the time was trying to cut troop strength across all branches of the military. His commanding officer asked him if he was planning on going to college, in which he said yes, and very soon after that received his separation orders. During the Honor Flight on Tuesday, October 13, Miller said the Honor Flight experience was awesome and said, “if you ever get a chance to go, you should go.” Each year, The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids does typically 2 to 4 a year and Miller hopes that he can do at least one more.

Trip of a lifetime

Kalona Many wait years to go on Honor Flight and some don`t even get the chance to go. However, a few weeks ago Jim Miller got the chance to go along with his grandson Elijah Statler. Miller, who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War from 1965-1969, got to spend the day in DC looking at all the monuments, calling it “an awesome trip.” This was his second time going to DC, but the first time going on Honor Flight. In fact, Miller had to wait for a year and half, before he was able to go as he explained that he signed up for it a year and half ago. “Mine was almost two years; I did it in February of 2025.”..
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