Local veteran takes part in Honor Flight to WWII Memorial

By Scott Wright

Until recently, Alexis community resident Billy Godfrey was like a lot of other aging World War II veterans who figured he'd never get to see the World War II Memorial on the Mall in Washington, D.C.

A couple of weeks ago, however, a Veteran's group in Georgia made sure he got to check that trip off his bucket list.

On May 4, Godfrey, a former Marine, took off from Atlanta on Honor Flight Northwest Georgia with a group of veterans from Bartow County, Ga.

“We went to Rome, 13 of us, and they had a band playing when we left,” Godfrey said. “And we had two chaperons. There were 40 or so people in the parking lot in Rome to see us off.”

Godfrey said the county sheriff led the flag-bedecked van to the Atlanta airport.
“Everybody thought it was a funeral,” Godfrey laughed. “They were all pulling off the road to let us pass. We didn't stop all the way to the airport.”

After the flight to the nation's capital, Godfrey and the other veterans were met by a throng of cheering people.

“There must have been 350 people there,” he said. “It almost brought tears to my eyes, being honored like that.”

Godfrey and the others arrived at the Memorial at noon, then took part in group picture at the Wall of Remembrance, which features a field of 4,000 gold stars.
“Each one of those stars represents a thousand Americans who died in World War II,” he said.

Godfrey said he also visited the Korean and Vietnam memorials, and saw the changing of the guard at Arlington Cemetery.

Godfrey chuckled as he talked about the food he ate during the day.

"They fed us all the time," he said. "We had boxes with candy, and the Army even gave us some of their meals-ready-to-eat. I didn't eat mine but I bet it's better than the stuff we used to eat."

Afterwards, the group returned to Reagan Airport and flew home the same evening.

“It didn't cost me a dime,” Godfrey said.

Reminded that he paid for the trip a long time before, Godfrey paused a moment before replying.

“Yeah, I guess I did,” he said with a grin.