Robert (Bob) Wagner and Gail Sachtjen are proud veterans of the Vietnam War. Both currently reside in Belle Fourche. Recently, both Bob and Gail traveled to Washington, D.C. for a tour of America’s celebrated war monuments courtesy of the Honor Flight Network.
Honor Flight is a national non-profit organization dedicated to sending United States military veterans from throughout the United States to visit war memorials in the nation’s capital city.
Through the philanthropic charity of various doners, the trip to Washington is free. Since 2005, the Honor Flight Network has arranged for over 244,000 veterans and their guardians to tour America’s veterans’ memorials.
Last year in 2024, there were six Midwest Honor Flight excursions from Sioux Falls. Bob departed on October 19, 2024. Gail travelled on May 20, 2025.
Each of the honor flight guests is required to bring a ‘guardian’. A guardian can be a family member or anyone of the veteran’s choice who accompanies the veteran. Bob’s guardian was his daughter, Sandra Clooten. Gail travelled with his guardian, son Scott Sachtjen.
Bob and Sandra travelled to Sioux Falls the day before the flight where they spent the night in a hotel. When they arrived at the Sioux Falls airport at 2:30 AM on October 19, 2024 everything was “exciting and well organized.” Bob Wagner explained. “There were approximately 85 veterans on the plane with the same number of guardians. There were nurses on board and the veterans in poor health were extremely well accommodated by caring and professional staff.” He added. Among the group were three servicewomen, two World War II vets and three Korean vets. Additional staff included tour guides and members of the Honor Flight Society who served as volunteers.
On the flight, Bob said, “Everyone had to stop and talk.” There was even time to re-enact “mail call” Mail call was an important daily event for servicemen far from home. The Honor Flight Society organized a simulated mail call on the plane. There was mail for everyone, much of which was provided by school children who wrote colorful heart-felt thank-you notes to the veterans. The activity evoked the first of many powerful emotional memories that would occur throughout the day.
In Vietnam, “We wrote a whole lot of letters.” Gail said. Another means of communication he recalled was the use of mini cassette tapes, which still needed to be postmarked and sent back and forth. The mail was not altogether slow, but sending letters and packages back and forth took at least a week or more.
Bob recalls landing at the airport in Washington. “Four buses transported the veterans, their guardians and the honor flight staff from the airport and throughout the tour.”
Bob’s guardian, daughter Sandra was similarly impressed. “From the moment we arrived in Washington, D.C., the outpouring of support was overwhelming. The veterans received front-row access to the memorials built in their honor. It was deeply moving to witness them being recognized and thanked, many for the first time in decades.”
There was a lot of ground to cover in one day including the Vietnam War Memorial, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Air Force Monument, the Korean War Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the World War II memorial, the Koren War Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the National Naval Museum,
Gail has been on the honor flight once before. Sixteen years ago, he accompanied his dad, Ralph as a guardian on the trip. Ralph was a World War II vet. At that time, the trip was a two-day event which allowed for more time to see everything. The veterans on the two-day trip were able to take in the FDR Memorial and the National Air and Space Museum. At that time, guardians were not required to have training as they are now.
Bob Wagner and Gail Sachtjen werved in separate military branches and in different parts of Vietnam. Bob served from 1969 to 1970. Gail from 1970-197. They did not know one another at the time. Their memories of service in Vietnam are similar but different, as are their reflections on the trip to Washington.
Of course, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial had special significence for both Gail and Bob. The monument commemorates the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War. The names of more than 58,000 service persons are inscribed on the granite walls.
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