BY EILEEN DUNAVAN
DANVILLE — Patrick Samuel Runyan of Danville recently shared quite an experience with his grandfather Samuel Gomer, who is a World War II veteran.
After Runyan’s grandparents and friends learned of an organization called the Honor Flight Network, they applied to be considered for one of the flights to Washington, D.C., to visit the World War II Memorial.
“I would act as guardian for both my grandfather and another World War II veteran, Herman Heckler,” Runyan said. “My grandfather requested I do this and I was honored.”
It would be a one-day trip with both veterans and guardians representing the armed forces from World War II. There would be one guardian for each two veterans participating.
“The guardians were mostly younger people who had also served in the armed forces,” Runyan said. “I had been in the service myself for five years, so my grandfather and I had a common bond. The trip was unlike any other I had ever taken. Since my grandfather and Herman Heckler were both living in Alton, Ill., I figured it would be easier for me to stay overnight in Alton, get up at 3 in the morning and the three of us would take a 20-minute car ride to Lampert Airport in St. Louis. Everyone else in the group left from Springfield to the St. Louis Airport.”
Runyan’s other grandfather, Kenneth Runyan Sr., also had been in World War II. He died in August 2008, before he got to visit the World War II Memorial.
“I took my grandfather’s burial flag with me on the trip,” Runyan said. “Another veteran in a wheelchair opted to hold my grandfather’s burial flag. Lots of tears were shed on this visit to the memorial and rightfully so.”
Runyan said, “When the flights arrived in Baltimore, 30 to 50 active service members were present to salute and applaud our older veterans. Everyone in the entire airport did the same and it was impressive. The military band played ‘Anchors Aweigh’ for the Navy veterans, ‘The Wild Blue Yonder’ for the Air Force veterans, the Army song for the Army veterans (written like the caisson song), and the ‘Halls of Montezuma,’ which was played for the Marine veterans.
“We all went in one bus to the memorial from the airport. When we arrived, members of Congress from Illinois were there to welcome the veterans. Bob Dole cordially greeted everyone and each veteran had an individual picture taken with him. We all received one. There were four or five other Honor Flights there from across the country.”
Runyan said there were memorials for each war but the World War II Memorial “completely blew the rest away.” The memorial has a pillar for each state in the United States. There are entrances on the east and west representing both the Pacific and European Theatres. There also is a wall with many gold stars on it with each star representing 1,000 men and women who served in World War II.
“Other visitors there that day stepped back and let the veterans through,” Runyan said. “There were many 8- to 10-year-old children there on a field trip who had drawn cards for the veterans. The children were the best part of the trip to my Grandfather Samuel. When you are serving and you get a card from a child, a letter from home, some piece of paper with words from another human being to hold onto it nearly takes your breath away.”
When asked about how his emotions played during the time they spent at the memorial, Runyan spoke with tears in his eyes.
“The images from the World War II Memorial bring many strong emotions for both my grandfather and myself,” he said. “If you consider the fact that we both spent time in harm’s way, the intensity of being at the memorial is easy to understand. Sure, there are negatives when you’re a part of war, but you have to look at the positives, the good memories.”
Runyan said he wanted people to remember that freedom is not free; it’s paid for by blood and by the youth who go to war.
“Even if you make it back from the war itself, you are a changed person,” he said. “Every day and everything is a gift and you have to remember that. Every soldier deals with war differently. Some come back and want to be a part of organizations and parades and others become their own island.”
The Honor Flight Network is a free opportunity given to all veterans and terminally ill veterans. Donations are always accepted because of one important factor: Many veterans from World War II are now older and as many as 1,000 of them die every day, never seeing the memorial built in their honor.
FYI
For information about the Honor Flight Network, visit http://www.honorflight.org or write to: Honor Flight, Inc., 300 E. Auburn Ave., Springfield, OH 45505-4703
