RINCON — The wheels of the Savannah Honor Flight bus set 75-year-old Johnny Boston’s mind in motion. Memories from more than 50 years ago began to churn as he and nearly 30 other area veterans began their free trek to Washington, D.C., to see war memorials erected in their honor.
“When we got ready to leave (Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah on May 3), they had a line — I forget what they call it — and they saluted and clapped for us,” Boston said. “It got teary eyed. I kind of broke down and realized where we were.
“Getting on a bus (to go to Washington) was kind of like getting on a plane and going back to Vietnam and war stuff.”
Fellow Springfield native Herb Jones, an 89-year-old former Navy corpsman during the Korean War, felt the same way.
“When we got out of the service, where we had been and what we had done were not popular,” Jones said. “I just kept my mouth shut and went back to school and kept going. This was the first time — at the reception before we left — that I ever remember that the military of that time was recognized.
“We had over 300 active military people there to send us off. It was the first time since I got out of the service in 1952 that people in the uniform that I wore were there. If you think that’s not emotional to see people in the uniform for the first time in that length of time ...
“The people that recognized us and took us on this trip kind of filled a gap of over fifty years.”
The sendoff was the initial stage of packed Honor Flight schedule that included stops at the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, the U.S. Navy Museum & Memorial, the U.S. Air Force Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial, the Women in Military Service to America Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The veterans spent two nights in the Holiday Inn at Reagan International Airport before arriving back in Savannah Sunday evening.
“There was no wasted time in it,” said Springfield’s Irwin Malphrus, a 71-year-old Vietnam War veteran who served on the USS New Jersey. “We were doing something as we went from one memorial to the other all the way through the day.”
Malphrus, who was accompanied on trip by his wife, Pat, considered seeing the Vietnam War Memorial a highlight of the trip.
“I have a relative whose name is on the wall and we purposefully wanted to look for it,” Mr. Malphrus said.
The World War II Memorial also struck a chord with him.
“We were met by some true dignitaries there,” he said.
The dignitaries were high-ranking military officials.
“We felt like they were there with a real desire to say ‘thank you,’” Jones explained.
“That was on a Saturday,” Mrs. Malphrus added. “They took their own personal time to be there and shake hands with each and every one of (the Honor Flight participants).
“They spoke to them personally.”
Mrs. Malphrus isn’t a veteran but served as her husband’s “guardian” during the trip. Each Honor Flight participant has a guardian assigned to them.
“If you don’t select a guardian, Honor Flight will select one for you,” Mr. Malphrus said. “I was one of the youngest ones and I’ll soon be 72. Most of us on the flight have medical issues.”
Honor Flight participants are in good medical hands. A few doctors and nurses always accompany the group.
“I’d like to put a plug in for Honor Flight,” Mr. Malphrus said. “It is a tremendous organization. If anyone would like to contribute to it, their money will be well spent.”
Boston and Jones agreed with Malphrus’ assessment of the 501(c) (3) non-profit charitable organization.
“(The Honor Flight veterans) were all treated as heroes,” Jones said. “There were times when it was a very ‘up’ thing and there were times when it was ‘down.’”
Jones’ emotions were stirred the most at the Vietnam War Memorial. One of his cousins, a young father, was killed in Vietnam.
“That’s what I call the ‘down’ side,” Jones said.
Boston and Malphrus learned about Honor Flight while reading the Effingham Herald. They also attended an information session about it last fall at the Mars Theatre.
“It was probably a little better than I expected it to be,” Boston said.
Boston got a surprise during the trip. He encountered a former member of the 25th Infantry who fought at Vietnam’s Mount Nui Ba Den at the same time he did. At 966 meters, it is the highest peak in south Vietnam.
“(After applying to go on an Honor Flight trip) I waited about eight months,” Boston said. “Some of my cohorts who have been before waited as much as two years because they take the World War II vets first because there aren’t many of them left. More of them are disabled than the (veterans) from Korea and Vietnam.”
Boston, Jones and the Malphruses are actively encouraging veterans to sign up for an Honor Flight trip. The next one out of Savannah is slated this fall.
“It’s a good thing,” Boston said. “I think every veteran should go.”
“In my opinion, you would be foolish to turn this opportunity down,” Mr. Malphrus said.
To learn more about Savannah Honor Flight and/or its next trip, visit www.honorflightsavannah.org or call Jerry Maennche at (912) 663-0322.
