GEORGETOWN, S.C. — All 149 seats of the Honor Flight of South Carolina Grand Strand/Myrtle Beach Chapter to the National World War II Memorial in Washington DC are full and ready for inaugural flight from Myrtle Beach International Airport, taking off Wednesday, Nov. 10, just before Veteran’s Day, Thursday, Nov. 11.

Colonel Peter E. Sercer, retired United States Air Force of Columbia is a guardian and supporter.

“I very much look forward to serving as a guardian for my brother-in-law and World War II aviator Bill Potts of Georgetown on the upcoming Nov. 10 HF," he said.

"I am very impressed with the great things that are happening under the leadership such a dynamic duo, Flight Coordinators Bert and GG Cassels..”

The flight coordinators said there is a waiting list for veterans and one for accompanying guardians, and the organization has raised more than $50,000.

They said this fundraising continues with three more events in September.

They need to raise approximately $55,000 to $60,000. There is no cost for the veterans for this special charter flight.

Visiting veterans usually tour the World War II Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Korean Was Memorial, the Air Force Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

Fundraising events

The first event is Saturday, Sept. 11, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. for a 9/11 lunch and dinner at Gordon Biersch Restaurant in the Market Common, 3060 Howard Ave.

The local HF project will receive 10 per cent of proceeds.

The restaurant will have red, white, and blue balloons to be popped at various times for gift certificates and other prizes, and HF volunteers will be at the door greeting patrons.

The flight coordinators said they will be there all day.

“We are arranging for music in the evening,” they said. “We will remember our fallen heroes of 9/11 and honor our past heroes of WWII on this day.”

A spaghetti dinner fundraiser is from 4:30 to 8 p.m., Thursday Sept. 16, at Applewood House of Pancakes, Pawleys Island by BI-Lo on Highway 17. Tickets are $10 each and include salad, bread, drink and entree. Len and Pat Johnsen, who reside in the International Club, Murrells Inlet, are ticket chairpersons at 651-4368 or PJohnsen@aol.com  The Honor Flight will receive $5 for each meal sold.

Chick-fil-A near Piggly Wiggly in Murrells Inlet is hosting a fundraiser from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30.

All area veterans are invited to come, and the Honor Flight will receive 20 percent of the proceeds.

The HF recently received $10,000 from Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina TRICARE center in Myrtle Beach.  

Also on Aug. 16, Guardians Jacci Lobaugh and Nancy Bent hosted an Honor Flight benefit party at the Bays communities at Prince Creek.  

Time is of the essence, according to officials of the Honor Flight Network, who say the nation is losing World War II veterans at the rate of approximately 1,000 per day, based on 2008 statistics.

The Network is continuing help veterans to travel to the nation’s capital for free. Next efforts will focus on honoring Korean War and then Vietnam War veterans by bringing them to Washington D.C.

The inaugural HF took place in 2005, when six small planes flew 12 veterans out of Springfield, OH.

The program was conceived by Retired Air Force Captain Earl Morse, a physician assistant.

After retiring from the Air Force in 1998, he was hired by the Department of Veterans Affairs to work in a small Springfield clinic.

He said he wanted to honor veterans he had taken care of for the past 27 years.

By Lloyd Mackall

lmackall@sc.rr.com