ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- A First Army officer accompanied his World War II veteran grandfather on an Honor Flight of the Quad Cities trip to Washington, D.C., Oct. 30.
Honor Flights of the Quad Cities regularly arranges to fly veterans to the nation's capital, where they visit war memorials dedicated to honoring their service. Other veterans and Family members serve as guardians for the veterans during the one-day trip.
George Pauley, a Milan, Ill., native, who served as a Navy petty officer 2nd class in World War II, made the trip with his grandson and guardian, Capt. Joseph Pauley, commander of First Army's Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment at Rock Island Arsenal.
The senior Pauley, age 90, served from 1943 to 1949, first at Pearl Harbor. "After that, I was a storekeeper on a ship that provided food to advanced bases in China, Japan, the Philippines, and the South Pacific islands," he said.
Despite spending six years in the military, George has almost never been on an airplane. In fact, the Honor Flight was just the third flight of his life.
"I've been on an airplane just twice before, coming home from Oakland, and one other time," he said. "Even when I went from Chicago to San Francisco to join the service, I took a train."
Indeed, it took persistent pleading from Family members to get George on the Honor Flight.
"My Family, and in particular my father, have been trying to get my grandfather to go on the Honor Flight for years," Joseph said. "He always responded that the last time he flew was coming home from World War II, and he didn't need to step foot on another airplane."
Part of George's reluctance to take the flight may be his memory of the engine trouble experienced by the airplane he was on when he left the Navy, which forced the pilot to land on a remote airfield. Eventually, George got on another flight to Chicago, but he didn't make it quite that far.
"While they were flying over the Quad Cities, my grandfather asked them to land," Joseph said. "He hadn't been back on a plane until this year, when he flew due to a death in the Family. Then he decided he would take the Honor Flight, with the stipulation that I go with him."
It was all worth it.
"It was wonderful," the senior Pauley said. "We saw the monuments in D.C., the World War II memorial, and the cemeteries."
Joseph said he was honored to make the trip with his grandfather.
"It's a humbling experience being in the presence of so many veterans," Joseph said. "I've seen many of the monuments in D.C.; however, seeing them with my grandfather and fellow veterans is an experience I will never forget. I'm humbled that the Quad Cities community goes to such an extent to honor veterans for their service."
George and Joseph aren't the only Pauleys to serve in the military.
"I had five brothers in the service and a son in the Vietnam War, and [I have] a grandson in the Army," George said.
While he was stationed at Pearl Harbor, one of his brothers was also sent there, but neither knew the other was there until they happened to bump into each other.
An earlier generation Family member, Eugene Cosner, fought in World War I.
"Our family has always been patriotic and has enjoyed the small town Family values that the Quad Cities has to offer," Joseph said. "All of my Family … were influential in my decision to join the Army. I remember looking at the pictures of my grandparents on their wall when I was little. When he was in the Navy, he looked so young and proud."
Social Sharing