Pahrump resident Mahlon Broadwater recalls recent Honor Flight to D.C.

“Everyone should do it. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.”

This is what 90-year-old Pahrump resident and Korean War veteran Mahlon Broadwater had to say after taking a trip to Washington, D.C. last month, complete with tours of the memorials that have been created in recognition of those who have worn the uniform of the U.S. Armed Forces. Escorted by his son-in-law, Donald Western, Broadwater was able to visit these memorials and it was something he will never forget.

And it was all made possible by Honor Flight of Southern Nevada, a nonprofit organization dedicated to giving this experience to those who served in World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War.

“I’ve known about the Honor Flight for years and a friend of mine went about five or six years back and he said, that’s it – what an experience,” Broadwater told the Pahrump Valley Times. “Well, Don decided a couple months ago to look into it and I finally got to go!”

Broadwater was part of a group of 34 veterans attending the April Southern Nevada Honor Flight, with five from the Korean War era and the remaining from Vietnam. Meeting up with the Honor Flight team at Harry Reid International Airport on April 17, Mahlon, Western and the other veterans and escorts were flown to Baltimore/Washington International, where they were greeted with fire engines shooting water cannons to celebrate their landing and salute the passengers. As the group traveled through the airport, there was even more celebration, with a large crowd cheering their arrival and offering thanks for the service of the veterans.

Then it was off to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Baltimore for a free barbecue dinner, after which they left to a salute from more than a dozen of the post’s members.

The next day was filled with activity as the Honor Flight honorees were taken to the World War II memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Iwo Jima Memorial, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial and the National Archives. Between each, they received a police escort, yet another display of the gratitude and recognition of the American people. Topping off the day was a formal dinner at which Broadwater was surprised by six of his family members, who lived nearby and had secretly arranged to attend.

“There’s no way to describe how the vets felt but you could see it in their eyes and smiles, some tearing up,” Western detailed. “Walking through the cheering crowds at the airport, with my father-in-law and among our heroes, was amazing and a real highlight for me. When we got back into Las Vegas, it was one of the largest cheering crowds of the trip.

“At our arrival gate, it was shoulder-to-shoulder, three or four deep, for several hundred feet, it was just cheering and clapping as we headed to the trams, people saying thank you for you service, thank you for your sacrifice,” Western continued. “And it was the same on the other side of airport security. Holy moly! Another huge turnout, school kids, signs, spirit shakers, pom poms, flags, noisemakers. My father-in-law was even given two very cool, large, handmade signs from kids with big grins, complete strangers, and one had Mahlon’s name on it! He was so overwhelmed, what a surprise that was.”

As for Broadwater, he said the experience was incredible and he would encourage everyone, not only those who have served, to take a visit to the Washington, D.C., area to see the memorials for themselves.

And when it comes to having served, Broadwater noted that it was a decision he never regretted.

“It was the best thing I’ve ever done,” he remarked. “I turned 17 on the 9th of May and three days later, I was raising my hand, saying sign me up. I spent May 1952 to January 1956, almost four years, in the military before I was 21 years old!”

In fact, the one thing he has any regret about at all in his lifetime, is the timing of his enlistment.

“The only thing I would change out of my life – and I’ll be 91 on the 9th – I would have stayed in high school to finish my last two years before going into the military. Other than that, I wouldn’t change 10 minutes of my life. None of it.”

Honor Flight of Southern Nevada is part of a nationwide network founded in 2013 that extends to 130 city hubs around the country, giving veterans coast-to-coast the chance to experience an Honor Flight for themselves. Since its establishment, there have been over 648 veterans of World War II, Korean and Vietnam escorted to Washington, D.C.

The next Honor Flight is scheduled for October 2-4. Applications, as well as more information, can be found at HonorFlightSouthernNevada.org

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com