By Hannah Amos
 
The American Legion Auxiliary is dedicated to honoring and recognizing veterans, a trait shared by Honor Flight Network Inc. 
 
Together, the ALA sponsored an unforgettable and history-making Lone Eagle Honor Flight to honor female veterans who served during the Korean and Vietnam wars. 
 
Veterans experienced a day of honor that provided a long-awaited acknowledgement of their service and sacrifice as both a veteran and a woman. 
 
Lasting memories and connections were made. Following are a few veterans who shared their story and the trip’s impact with us: 

Patricia Hooks-Bass, U.S. Navy, Washington
Patricia Hooks-Bass knew from the age of 13 that she was going to be in the U.S. Navy, inspired by her father’s World War II service and love of John Wayne movies. 
 
Hooks-Bass served for 24 years in the military as a journalist at various bases in the United States, Puerto Rico, and internationally in Italy. 
 
Throughout her time in the military, her experiences ranged from DJing, working for and leading award-winning Navy news outlets, and being a female officer in male-dominated spaces. 
 
All of the memories she made stayed with her, but she couldn’t always share them.
 
The ALA-sponsored Lone Eagle Honor Flight provided Hooks-Bass that opportunity to share and connect. 
 
“After I got back home is when it really hit me,” she said. “It was such a rare opportunity for me to be around other women veterans — older ones and the same age — because as women, we don’t go around wearing ball caps with our squadron insignias.” 
 
It was not only a time of connection, but a moment of pride and validation.
 
“I was always proud of what I did,” Hooks-Bass said. “My brothers and sisters and mom and dad are always very proud of it, but because I’m out here with a group of new friends who have no 
connection to the military whatsoever, my past was kind of forgotten. Being around these other women who felt the same way — it made me feel kind of validated again.”
 
Many lasting memories were made on the trip — from the people she met to the memorials she visited — but her highlight was the ending. Local American Legion Family members surprised the veterans with a welcome-home at the hotel.
 
“Having those [Legion Family members] from the local area be there at 8 o’clock at night to greet us as we came off the bus: That really sticks with me,” she said. “To have that getting off the bus there in Baltimore at the hotel — that meant a lot to me … to have that appreciation for my time in the service recognized.”
 
Being part of the ALA-sponsored trip is something Hooks-Bass said she’ll treasure for the rest of her life. It’s an experience she hopes other veterans will have too.

Doris Jones, U.S. Army Nurse Corps, New York 

Legionnaire Doris Jones served in West Germany and served a year tour in the Vietnam War in the Army Nurse Corps. 
 
Jones’ military career brings complicated emotions. 
 
“We saved a lot. A lot of them died, and then when you come home to a country that hated you, that was traumatic too. A lot of us were told not to wear your uniform,” Jones said. “They said, ‘Ditch your uniforms and consider civilian clothes because you’re going to be harassed at the airport,’ which we were.”
 
Like many other veterans who served, Jones didn’t speak much of her military experience afterward.
 
“For a long time, I never told anyone that I was over there,” Jones said about her time in Vietnam.
 
After her service, Jones took on different hobbies to give her an outlet — like skydiving and competitive pistol shooting. 
 
“These different hobbies kept me away from post-traumatic stress,” she said. “A lot of people turned to drinking and drugs, but I never got in that type of situation with these different hobbies.”
 
The Lone Eagle Honor Flight was about remembrance for her and others. She not only wanted to be recognized, but she wanted to be there for fellow veterans, calling this a special trip because it was all women veterans. 
 
“To know you weren’t the only one who was involved in it — we were volunteers. Guys got drafted, but us women — we volunteered for this,” Jones said. “I just wanted to join the group today and let them tell their story.”
 
At the end of the day, Jones “just wanted to show up,” and be there for the other veterans and for herself. 
 
Marie Anderson, U.S. Marine Corps, Indiana 
Korean War U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Legionnaire Marie Anderson always wanted to be on an Honor Flight. 
 
“My daughter, Debbie — who’s my guardian — got a notification,” Anderson said. “She asked me if I wanted to be on it … because this is something I always wanted to do but never thought it was possible that I would be on a flight like this. I can’t tell you how awesome it’s been. At the end of my life to be here, it’s awesome.”
 
Anderson’s experience with her daughter helped her relive and remember her time in the service. She got to share her stories with her daughter and the other attendees on the trip — memories of being a Marine like her three brothers, her time stationed in Washington D.C., and so much more.
 
“It’s actually everything I thought it would possibly be,” she said. “I’m just tickled to death I’m here. That’s all I can say, and it’s made me extremely emotional.”

Cynthia Gatlin, U.S. Air Force, California

Cynthia Gatlin served in the Air Force from 1968 to 1972. During her time, she served in Thailand as a medic to help aid the Vietnam War effort. 
 
At the age of 19, the decision to join the Air Force was easy. When she graduated high school, she knew she wasn’t going to do what was expected of women at the time: marriage or be a teacher or nurse.
 
“I decided to join the Air Force to get out of the situation I was in — to travel, but most importantly, the military offered the opportunity for me to get a college education, which I did,” she said.
 
Her time in the military gave her the means to move from Washington, D.C. to California, where she attended college with the G.I. Bill and set up residency.
 
Gatlin’s time on the Lone Eagle Honor Flight not only gave her the chance to connect with other veterans, but also with youth visiting the same sites. She had many discussions with younger generations, sharing her experiences.  
“I was stunned to see the younger generation understanding what we went through as women because it’s different,” Gatlin said. “Now women are more equal. I remember not being able to get a credit card. So, the younger generation seems very much in tune to what’s going on.”
 
The experience was impactful and fulfilling for Gatlin. Being surrounded by other women with similar experiences was a highlight. 
 
“My cup runneth over. This is one of the most wonderful experiences of meeting other veterans [of] the Vietnam War where female veterans weren’t treated very well,” Gatlin said. “We’re all together, and we all love each other. It’s unbelievable. I have no words for the feeling, but it’s wonderful.”

Dianna Dopp, U.S. Navy, Mississippi 
Legionnaire Dianna Dopp had a unique start with her Navy career. When her marriage collapsed in her 30s, she needed financial stability to provide for her children.
 
“In that era, women couldn’t open a bank account, they couldn’t buy a car, and they had to have a male cosign for everything. If you had a marriage that collapsed, you had no credit history; you had nothing. Even if you worked, you had nothing,” Dopp said. “I had to find a way to rebuild and start over pretty much. The Navy did it for me.”
 
Dopp had an interest in learning and working with computers, so she believed the Navy to be the best option for her. Initially under the impression she would serve four years in the Navy Reserve, she instead served 20 years active duty. 
 
During her military career, she had the opportunity to travel to 59 countries, along with pursuing her passion in computers. 
 
For her, the Lone Eagle Honor Flight provided a time of recognition. While in Washington, D.C., Dopp and many of the veterans had opportunities to connect with various age groups. Organic, educational moments happened during the trip where various generations learned these women’s stories.
 
She’s thankful to the ALA for providing this opportunity.