For 114 World War II veterans, this was a whirlwind of a weekend.

Passengers on the first Honor Flight departing from Rapid City, they left in the wee hours of the morning Friday for a light-speed tour of Washington, D.C., and to see the national memorial built in their honor.

Returning late Saturday, they were greeted at Rapid City Regional Airport by a drum roll and loved ones and a welcome-home party at the VFW in Rapid City.

"All of the veterans say, 'Oh, I didn't do much.' That's not true. Some of them served for years, were wounded, were POWs," said Larry Rohrer, chairman of Honor Flight South Dakota.

"As much as anything else, they're overwhelmed that a project like this exists. That so many people, from the hundreds of people who donate to the hundreds who volunteer, would do that for them.

"They can't seem to grasp why someone would do that for them."

Jack Morcom, 87, of Lead choked up again Sunday as he thought about the National World War II Memorial.

The Army Air Corps veteran served in the Pacific during the war, the youngest of five brothers to serve in World War II. He and his brothers all made it safely home, but nearly 65 years later, he's the only one still alive.

"It was quite emotional - to be recognized by that memorial," Morcom said. "It was a long time coming."

The trip went by in a heartbeat, feeling like two days and two weeks at the same time, he said. He wasn't alone in tears, either.

"We all had about the same attitude. A lot of tears were shed," Morcom said.

"Everyone when we got off the plane was like: 'Thank you for your service. Thank you for your service,'" Morcom said, with a pause.

"It just made me feel real honored."

Warren Prascher, 85, of Sturgis almost felt like he was back in the service.

The Army veteran was drafted late in the war and served in the Philippines. Like the Army, Honor Flight planned everything out and took care of every need. On the flight home, they even had a mail call, with a letter for each returning veteran written by a schoolchild from Tea or the Sioux Falls area.

"It was basically like we were in the service," Prascher said. "In the service, when you got mail call, it was a big event. Those letters found us whenever we went."

Seeing the memorials in Washington brought back memories of his childhood during the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, his service in the Philippines.

"I broke down and bawled. It was such an emotional thing. I was completely awed and humbled, honored to be a part of that exercise."

"It brought back so many memories."

James Keck, 86, of Rapid City spent much of the trip reminiscing with fellow veterans.

The Army veteran served in Italy during the war, one of the "ski troops" of the 10th Mountain Division. Seeing those 4,000 gold stars on the memorial - one for every 100 Americans who died - made it even clearer how much each Honor Flight veteran had to tell.

"Everybody has a story," Keck said. "It's quite a bunch that didn't come back. We were the lucky ones that did."

One veteran who already knew his story was former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, who served with Keck in the 10th Mountain Division.

Dole tries to meet every busload of veterans coming to the World War II memorial, but with Sen. Edward Kennedy's funeral the same day, he wasn't sure he'd meet the South Dakota veterans.

"We had a lot in common," Keck said. "We were both injured in the same day, on the same hill in Italy, when we were 21 years old."

"I had my time in the sun and got to say hi."

Rosemary McMahon, 86, of Belle Fourche couldn't believe she even got to go to Washington.

The Navy WAVES veteran served in the all-female unit for 21/2 years, stationed in Norfolk, Va., during the war. There, she worked in the dispersing office, recreating pay accounts for sailors who'd lost everything when their ships were sunk.

"I was shocked when I got the telephone call," McMahon said. "I was sure there were so many guys that had done so much more than I did."

Pictures don't do the memorial much justice, she said.

"When you first saw it, it just took your breath away," McMahon said. "I am very, very happy and not even too tired."

She had simple words for everyone who helped her and 113 other veterans see the memorial so many years in the making:

"Thanks. Thanks. Thanks."

For information

To make a donation, to volunteer or to find out how to go, contact

Honor Flight South Dakota

P.O. Box 947

Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Toll-free 888-344-1945

Visit the Web site www.honorflightsd.org

or e-mail honorflightsd@gmail.com

For pictures of Saturday's tour at the National World War II Memorial, go to www.stripes.com/go/sdhonorflight.

Contact Emilie Rusch at 394-8453 or emilie.rusch@rapidcityjournal.com.