COEUR d’ALENE — After years of watching other veterans experience Honor Flights, it was finally Joe Deacon’s turn.

He was able to join his brothers, Tom and Bill Deacon, on the trip to Washington D.C. as they were honored for serving in the military during the Vietnam War. The Deacon brothers caught a charter flight from Spokane on April 29.

“My two brothers and all three of us served in the Air Force in 1963. They went to Vietnam, and I wasn’t able to go because they don’t want all the members of a family in a warzone at the same time, like Saving Private Ryan,” Deacon explained.

Instead, Deacon became a scientist in the Air Force weapons laboratory in Albuquerque.

“The military would find jobs for those of us who didn’t go to Vietnam, and I think we did a lot of useful research and we served our country proudly for four years, each one of us,” Deacon said.

He said he wound up spending a lot of time in White Sands and Los Alamos testing newly developed military technology. 

“I was a laser scientist doing basic laser weapons experiments and flying around with lasers on board old World War II airplanes. They didn’t give us any fancy new aircraft since we were doing experiments on board, but we actually shot a laser to the moon in 1964, way back when lasers were still top secret,” Deacon said.

Lasers had only been invented four years prior in 1960 and the military started to see it as a weapon in the early- to mid-60s, according to Deacon. 

He recalled monthly checks to make sure everyone's eyes were uninjured.

“It was very primitive at the time, and we were just learning,” Deacon said. 

Deacon said he was excited that he and his brothers got to experience the Honor Flight together. They also toured the Air Force Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, the WWII Memorial and others.

“There was so much camaraderie and so many nice discussions. These guys had never been to D.C. and most of them had never gotten a welcome back from Vietnam,” Deacon said.

On the return flight, they received a surprise mail call with packets of letters for each veteran from their families, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. 

“It was a total surprise and very emotional, a lot of tears,” Deacon recalled.

Veterans, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts as well as other members of the community assembled to give them a warm reception.

“There was a huge line cheering us. It seemed like we were recognized as heroes, I guess,” Deacon said.

Deacon called the trip a wonderful experience and said they enjoyed their unofficial family reunion as well as the Honor Flight.

“It was a whirlwind. The outpouring of volunteers and guardians and all was just amazing. It was one of those events in your life that is very memorable,” Deacon said. 

    Joe Deacon, Tom Deacon and Bill Deacon pose together during their Honor Flight. The three brothers live in Idaho, California and Washington, so it was an unusual experience to coordinate traveling together for the experience.

    Joe Deacon reads during his Honor Flight while Isaac the comfort dog stands guard.
  

    Bill Deacon, Joe Deacon and Tom Deacon read heartfelt letters from family members on their Honor Flight trip back from Washington D.C.