A trip to the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., touched off several memories for an ex-Danville resident.

“It brought back memories — both good and bad,” Clyde W. Finney, 85, now of Columbia, S.C., said in a telephone interview. “It’s a tour I’ll never forget.”

Finney, who served in both WWII and the Korean War, was one of 91 veterans on the first Honor Flight South Carolina in November. The Honor Flight program sends WWII veterans to visit the monument at no expense to the veterans. Finney was on the inaugural flight; four others are planned for this year, he said.

“He was really moved,” his daughter, Nancy LaTourelle of Springfield, said. “He was just really honored and impressed. It brought back lots of memories.”

The Honor Flight Network, based in Ohio, was formed to give veterans a chance to visit their memorial, which opened in 2004. The national program has hubs in 30 states, including one in Chicago.

One of Finney’s daughters had heard about the program and got an application for her father.

Finney wasn’t scheduled for the inaugural flight from South Carolina on Nov. 15, but there was a cancellation and he was able to get on it. Finney has been to Washington before, but not to the memorial.

At the site, the veterans were greeted by former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, chairman of the National Memorial Committee; U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole; and an honor guard of patriotic citizens.

The veterans spent an emotional two hours at the monument. They also visited the Korean War Memorial and ended the day at Arlington National Cemetery, where they watched the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“Those monuments are unbelievable,” Finney said. “Everyone on the trip was impressed.”

The vets returned to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport to the applause of dozens of family members and well-wishers as they walked through rows of American flags held by volunteers, LaTourelle said.

Although the trip to Washington was touching, Finney especially was moved by the reception at the airport upon his return and also by the efforts of school children, who helped raise money so the vets wouldn’t have to pay anything.

“The thing that struck me the most was that the school children did a lot of work for the trip. The trip cost us nothing,” he said. “That got to me. These kids had all worked and got up the money for the trip.”

Finney also was impressed with how well the trip was organized. The vets are supervised, and a liaison works closely with the families.

“It was one great trip,” he said. “I think it was wonderful.”

The trip brought back memories of Finney’s time as a sergeant first class with the U.S. Army, serving from February 1943 to December 1946.

He also served in the Korean War from December 1950 to November 1951.

He was awarded two Bronze Stars ETO, two Good Conduct Medals, Army of Occupation Medal, National Defense Medal, Republic of Korean Service Medal, Combat Infantry Badge and Combat Medical Badge.

A native of the St. Joseph area, Finney and his wife, Mary Anne, were living in Danville when he was called up to service. He had worked as an auto mechanic for McAleer Buick.

The family moved from Danville in 1969, but still has friends and relatives here.

Finney said, “Say hello to all my old buddies there.”

The memorial

The WWII Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the U.S. armed forces, the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home.

The Second World War is the only 20th Century event commemorated on the National Mall’s central axis.

Each day, about 1,400 World War II veterans nationally pass away, most without ever visiting the memorial in Washington erected in their honor, according to the Honor Flight South Carolina Web site.

Honor Flight is a national organization begun in Springfield, Ohio, by Earl Morse, a physician’s assistant and retired U.S. Air Force captain, to honor veterans he had taken care of.

Morse started, on a whim, by flying one veteran to the memorial himself in a small plane. The reaction of that veteran was such that he began asking other pilots to donate flights for other vets.



ON THE WEB

For more information, visit the Honor Flight South Carolina site at http://www.honorflights.com or the national site at http://www.honorflight.org

The World War II Memorial site is http://www.wwiimemorial.com