Veteran counts days until inaugural trip

Like most World War II veterans, Herb Needham's story is about the randomness of war and where it sent him.

He was a cook in the Navy who watched the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack.

He served on a patrol ship in the Pacific that routinely cruised between Honolulu and Midway Island, catching glimpses of lurking Japanese submarines.

He remembers taking a break from his duties to enjoy an ocean swim at the spot where the Equator and the International Date Line intersect.

And next month -- 64 years after the war ended -- Needham will be on Charleston's first Honor Flight, sending World War II veterans to their official memorial in Washington, D.C. It's a site he's never seen and otherwise couldn't afford to visit.

"It's very important for me to be there, I can't hardly say it," Needham, 83, of Mount Pleasant, said last week, breaking into tears as the memories of his wartime pals flooded back.

Six months after it was first envisioned, the Charleston chapter of the Honor Flight network has 96 veterans ready for its inaugural trip, Nov. 7. The veterans come from all over the region, some as far away as Hilton Head Island and Atlanta. None has seen the monument before.

Loren Vevon, secretary-treasurer for Honor Flight Lowcountry, said the group's early organizational headaches pale in comparison to the payoff of finally getting the vets to D.C.

"This is just a great organization that honors the greatest generation of our time," he said.

The work went fast. After announcing in July that a local chapter was being formed to compliment the already established Honor Flight South Carolina chapter in Columbia, finding veterans who were eager to take part was pretty easy to do in the military-rich Lowcountry, Vevon said.

More difficult was the mandatory fundraising to charter a plane. So far, more than $58,000 has been raised from numerous sources and sponsors. Also, two doctors and four nurses signed on as volunteers who will safeguard the health of veterans like Needham. Other volunteers will help with the travel.

The national Honor Flight network grew out of several efforts launched that began after the World War II Memorial was dedicated in 2004. Chapters are operating around the country. A key feature is that veterans' travel is free of charge.

Next month's trip will be a full day. In addition to the memorial, the veterans will go to other D.C. monuments and witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

This won't be the group's only flight. Already about 30 veterans have signed up for the next scheduled flight from Charleston, in April.

Needham said he's counting the days to the departure date, saying it will bring back a world of memories from his tiny contribution to the global events of World War II.

"It's something to be proud of," he said of his service. "I'm very proud that I was part of that memorial going up."

Reach Schuyler Kropf at 937-5551 or skropf@postandcourier.com.