Honor Flight Columbus is proud to be flying our 10,000th Veteran to Washington D.C. on October 10, 2024. To commemorate this significant milestone, we will be sharing the inspiring stories of 10 Veterans. Each story we share will represent 1,000 of the 10,000 Veterans we have had the honor of flying. Follow along as we honor, share, and celebrate the heroes of our country.
This profile has been written in the first person by Mr. Buddy Moreland, (Mission 97, 6/08/2019) and submitted to Honor Flight Columbus with permission to share as part of the Reaching 10,000 series.
“Prior to my service I was a new high school graduate. 17 years old and living on a farm. I made the decision to enlist and did so in the Marine Corps. I knew that at 17 I would need a job and felt that the military was a good option. My brother had been in the Navy, but I liked the Dress Blues of the Marine Corps.
Boot Camp was at Parris Island South Carolina. [I] Reported to duty in July, and it was hot, scary, and hard for a 17-year-old who had never left the farm. But you turn into a man quickly. After training I went to a music school back at Parris Island. From there I got my choice of duty and selected California, Camp Pendleton [with] the 1st Marine Division and was attached to the band.
One of the highlights of duty was marching in the Rose Bowl Parade and the recognition we received representing the Marine Corps. The people that I served with were great. Being musicians we all had the same thing in common.
When we were deployed as a division, we boarded ships, and the 7th Fleet transported us to Okinawa. We were there to replace the 3rd Marine Division, who had been moved to Vietnam. We were on Okinawa for six months and then [were] deployed to Vietnam. Our home base was in Chulai.
While in Okinawa I met the lady I am married to now. Her father was in the Air Force, and we were seeing each other and after Vietnam we got married. (58 years Sept 10th, 2024)
While in Vietnam we put together an augmented USO show and went out to units and performed in what was called “Big Band in Boondockers.” It was fun and gave us some relief in a hostile area.
We were still doing our duty of guard and digging fox holes. But overall the experience was a good one. After Vietnam I got married and was stationed at Yorktown, VA at [the] Naval Weapons Station. I was there for 10 months before discharge. My time in the service was an opportunity to not only grow up but [be] proud to have served, and still [am] proud. The day I was discharged I knew it was time to get on with my life because now I had a wife and a baby.
After discharge I worked in a factory and stayed on that job for 35 years. In addition to that I served 20 years in the Ohio National Guard. We lived in Mt. Vernon, Ohio and still reside there today. [The] highlight of life after service was marriage and family. We had three children, fourteen grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
Being the age that I am, I know that I have lived a lot longer than I am going to live and that is ok.
If I have ever done one thing right it is [that I] raised a family and instilled in them and my friends that no matter what, we have the best country in the world. Other parts of the world [are] not so great.
My time on my Honor Flight was a time of healing with other Veterans who were having that same healing moment. I was hugged by another Veteran who cried after he had carried a flag to the wall that he had saved since Vietnam. That was one of the most impactful moments of my trip.
Other Veterans need to apply for this trip knowing that people running Honor Flight care about you and your feelings and totally respect you.
Thank you for all that you do [Honor Flight Columbus] for the Veterans. It means so much and changes lives.”
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