PHOENIX (AZFamily) — It was an emotional morning at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Thursday as loved ones welcomed a Vietnam War veteran back home to his final resting place after a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the nation’s capital.
Staff Sgt. Bill Tafoya departed Tuesday, April 21, flying from Sky Harbor to Baltimore-Washington International Airport for a Washington, D.C.-area tour centered on military service and remembrance.
During the trip, the group visited the U.S. Navy Memorial, the National World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial and other sites.
Bill got sick after visiting the last place, one he had never been to before, but wanted to always see, Arlington National Cemetery later on Wed(azfamily)
Tafoya became ill after visiting Arlington National Cemetery, a place he had never been but had long wanted to see.
He died shortly after being taken to the hospital.
Honor Flight said Tafoya was an Arizona native, born in Winslow and later moved to Tempe.
He volunteered to join the U.S. Army at 17.
After training and assignments that included time in Alaska and Hawaii, Tafoya joined the 25th Infantry Division and deployed to Cu Chi in Vietnam. He served as a “tunnel rat,” a role that required volunteers to enter and clear Viet Cong tunnel systems.
Friends and family said Tafoya spoke with pride about his military service and the bonds formed in combat, “my brothers,” as he called them, and he never forgot those who did not make it home.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2026 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
