Manson veteran Brian Strausbaugh takes Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.

MANSON — Manson American Legion Post 108 Vice Commander Brian Strausbaugh recently traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of an Honor Flight organized through the Honor Flight Network, a program that provides veterans with all-expenses-paid visits to memorials dedicated to their military service.

Strausbaugh, a Chelan Valley native and retired U.S. Navy chief petty officer, joined the Navy on June 26, 1956, two months after his 21st birthday. Following boot camp in San Diego, he completed aviation training in Oklahoma and Tennessee before receiving orders to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. During his 20-year naval career, he served in Alaska, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand and southern Japan and logged approximately 1,500 flight hours as a qualified plane captain on P2V-5 and P2V-7 aircraft. He was honorably discharged June 26, 1975, at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California.

The trip was arranged as a surprise by his daughter, Janette Schlough, who also served as his guardian during the visit. Strausbaugh departed Spokane on April 28, 2026, with approximately 90 fellow veterans and guardians aboard a charter flight to the nation’s capital.

“It was a four-hour flight to Washington, D.C., and the crew was exceptional, they made sure we were comfortable the entire way,” Strausbaugh said.

During the two-day trip, veterans visited several national landmarks and memorials, including Arlington National Cemetery, where they observed the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“It was an emotional experience for me. Absolute silence is required. I’ve seen it on television, but nothing compares to seeing it in person. There were hundreds of people watching, some taking photos, others quietly crying,” Strausbaugh said.

He also reflected on the scale and appearance of Arlington National Cemetery.

“Arlington National Cemetery is awe-inspiring, to say the least,” Strausbaugh said. “Row after row of white markers, perfectly aligned and stretching as far as you can see. The grounds are immaculate, not a single blade of grass out of place.”

The group stayed at the Washington Hilton and toured additional memorials, including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. Strausbaugh said the visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was among the most moving parts of the trip.

“It is huge,” he said. “There are two walls, each 246 feet 9 inches long, and together they stretch nearly 500 feet. The height rises from just 8 inches at the ends to over 10 feet at the center where the walls meet.”

Strausbaugh said visitors gathered at the memorial searching for the names of loved ones among the more than 58,000 service members commemorated there.

“We were able to visit many memorials during our stay,” he said. “Our schedule was flexible, we were never rushed, and there was always plenty of time for breaks.”

The trip concluded with a return flight to Spokane, where participants arrived the evening of April 29. Strausbaugh encouraged fellow veterans to consider participating in the program.

“I give this experience my highest recommendation for any veteran to consider,” he said.

According to information provided by the Honor Flight Network, the organization has transported hundreds of thousands of veterans to Washington, D.C., since its founding in 2005. Applications may be submitted by veterans or with assistance from family members, friends or caregivers through local Honor Flight hubs.

Norm Manly contributed to this report.