Soo Line: From a Voice of Service: Decades-Long Military Veteran Bob Taylor Reflects on What the Honor Flight Meant to Him

By Soo Greiman  

The year was 1975 when Bob Taylor graduated from Hudson High School. Even at an  early age, he had made a career decision by enlisting in the Navy. He’d always been proud of  other family members who served — especially his father, Mark Taylor, who was aboard the  battleship USS New Mexico when it was badly damaged by a Kamikaze pilot during World War  II.  

During active duty, Bob completed two WestPac (Western Pacific) tours with stops in  Guam, South Korea, the Philippines, Japan and Thailand. For most of his naval career,  however, he was stationed stateside at the Alameda Naval Base in California. In 1978, he  transferred into the Navy Reserve, serving until 1981.  

Still drawn to service, Bob enlisted in the Army in 1993. He remained active until his  retirement in 2005. His Army years took him around the country to facilities including the  Indiana Army Ammunition Depot in Jeffersonville, the Army Reserve Center in Athens, Georgia,  the Army Recruiting Center in Kentucky, and the Army Reserve Center in Ohio. During Desert  Storm, he served at the Army Recruiting Station in Freeport, Illinois, before receiving other  assignments in recruitment and reserve support.  

When Honor Flights began operating in 2005, Bob took notice. The all-expense-paid  trip to Washington, D.C., honors veterans by flying them to visit monuments and memorials  that commemorate their service and sacrifice.  

Now back home in Hudson, it was Bob’s wife, Darlene, who brought the invitation to his  attention. It arrived in their mailbox this July, offering him the opportunity to join a group  departing from the Eastern Iowa Airport in late September. Veterans are required to have an  escort of their choosing.  

“Getting an escort was something of a problem — only because I would have loved to  take our son, Nathan, our daughter Amanda, who served 10 years in the Navy aboard the USS  Kearsarge, and all my grandchildren,” Bob said with a smile. “But they said I could only have  one, so Nathan, who now lives in Nashville, went with me.”  

From the moment they stepped onto the plane alongside fellow brothers and sisters in  arms, the day was filled with anticipation and camaraderie.  

“Seeing everybody and being together on the trip to our monuments and memorials  was a privilege,” Bob said.  

He added that the most meaningful part of the Honor Flight was the connection he felt  — between his own time in the service, his father’s, Amanda’s, and so many others in his  family.  

A particularly emotional moment came as Bob stood at Arlington National Cemetery,  gazing at the rows upon rows of white crosses and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. His  thoughts turned to the thousands who never made it home.  

On the return flight, he shared many of his service stories with his son. It’s now  something he encourages every veteran to do.  

“If you know a veteran, please ask them to share their stories,” he said. “They’re  important.”  

Though it was late when they returned, the reception at the Cedar Rapids airport was  unforgettable.  

“It was a huge crowd with flags and signs and hugs to welcome ME home,” Bob said.  “So many reached out to shake my hand and thank me for my service. What a way to end an  incredible day!”  

The Sept. 23 Honor Flight included 88 veterans — a few from World War II, some who  served in Korea, and many from the Vietnam era. Each had a story. Each had served with pride.  Bob said he is grateful for the opportunity and hopes others take advantage of it too. 

“I think every veteran deserves the chance to go,” he said. “We all know the truth in the  saying: freedom is not free.”