100 SC WWII Vets Take Honor Flight To Washington D.C.

From WSAV3: 100 SC WWII Vets Take Honor Flight To Washington D.C.
One hundred South Carolina World War II veterans flew to Washington D.C. Wednesday for a 14-hour day that included some fascinating stops. The vets, six from the Lowcountry, toured the World War II Memorial, Vietnam and Korean War memorial, Iwo Jima memorial, and Arlington National Cemetery.

If you think hearing old war stories is captivating, getting them from a veteran who's visiting our nation's capital, where reminders of those days are all around, is particularly moving. Wednesday was full of friendship, laughter, and as you can imagine, tears.

Most of the veterans were strangers when they boarded for travel Wednesday, but their bond of presence in the war brings a kinship kind of connection. One of the warmest of welcomes and sendoffs you've probably seen at an airport, the pride of strangers who greeted the heroes was huge -- a far cry from the humility most of the veterans carried when talking about their role, remembering those who never made it long enough to share a story.

"Because I had three older brothers then,” Hilton Head’s Ruby Galloway said as she fought back tears talking about her brothers who died in the war.

The 100 Palmetto State veterans from World War II got the chance to see these sights together because of a network called Honor Flight that believes every veteran -- willing and able -- deserves to see their memorial.

"To see all the gratitude and people, it's amazing,” Hilton Head’s Edward Bartha said.

Each visit brought a variety of emotions and memories for the different branches of service -- many of those memories painful as they flash back.

"It's a very emotional day. It's amazing that people remember,” Lloyd Harrell of Hilton Head said.

But the sadness temporarily wiped away as smiles and gratitude surrounded them all the way to the finish line. A symbol of hope for the future of the country they fought so hard to protect.

"It just makes you feel warm and good about the American people. Nobody is going to take our government and our country from us, no matter how much they try, and what you read and everything else because of people like you and you and me who say no, you're not going to do it,” Harrell said.

The entire trip, which was around $60,000, was funded by the South Carolina Electric Cooperatives. That includes Palmetto Electric Cooperative in the Lowcountry.