WWII veteran from Michiana takes Honor Flight to DC, reflects on time served

SYRACUSE, Ind. (WNDU) - On Sept. 10, about 80 Indiana war veterans gathered at an Air Force base in Fort Wayne to fly on a special plane to D.C.

The oldest member of Honor Flight 52 was Charlie Garner Sr. The 102-year-old is a World War II veteran from Syracuse, Indiana.

Garner enlisted in the U.S. Reserve Forces in 1943.

At the time, Garner was 20 years old, and back then he didn’t realize how that decision would eventually impact his life.

“Yeah, it just happened. Yeah. I didn’t know where it was going to go. I had no idea,” Garner recalled. “And it’s basically when we got in England, we had no idea.”

Garner was assigned to the U.S. Chemical Army, where he handled various kinds of ammunition. Soon, he found himself in the middle of Operation Overlord, the codename for the Battle of Normandy.

“On the 16th, which we call it D-10, is when I went into Omaha Beach,” Garner said.

Garner still has crisp memories from that day.

“There was a bunch of blue Germans. They’d just met there and had a small arms fire back and forth and killed each other,” Garner explained. “But nobody said anything. That was a solemn moment.”

I met Garner at a hotel, where he was filled with emotions as he prepared to fly.

“I’m just kind of excited about the flight as much as anything else, really, because it’s been a long time since I’ve been on,” he said.

Hours later, Garner arrived at the World War II Memorial, where visitors honor over 400,000 U.S. troops who passed away during the war.

But for those who were part of it, the memorial brings back some memories.

“It’s almost too much because it hits here, because it tells the story,” Garner said.

Lawmakers from our area, including Hoosier natives U.S. Sen. Jim Banks and U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym, came to the memorial to show their appreciation and thank Garner for his service.

“Charlie is a special human being,” Yakym said. “He shared with me how many people that he went to war with didn’t come home, who paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives.”

Garner then visited various memorials, including the Korean, Vietnam, and Lincoln memorials.

A few hours later, it was time for veterans to return home. For the first time since the war ended in 1945, Garner was welcomed by hundreds of people in Fort Wayne cheering and chanting.

“I’m just so blessed to have so many good people who’ve helped out all day long,” Garner said.

Be sure to tune in to WNDU 16 News Now tomorrow when we share the story of another veteran from our area, who served in the Vietnam War.