With a smile that lights up the room, Sadie “Kashey” Odum beams enthusiasm and support for Coastal Georgia Honor Flight. The 94-year old Navy veteran flew this past May to Washington, DC, as part of 75 local military veterans and their 75 guardians honored for their service. Honor Flight flies area veterans via private chartered airline from Brunswick, Georgia, to the nation’s capitol in a day of celebration, reflection and recognition. The 2019 flight is accepting applications, with priority given to WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans. Veterans fly free, courtesy of donations, sponsorships and fund-raising throughout the year.
Odum explained, “I hope every veteran gets the opportunity to go on Honor Flight. It is simply an amazing day. ‘Honored’ is exactly the right word. When I first heard about it, I thought it was just a bunch of people getting on a plane and heading their separate ways in DC. It is very different from that; we were treated like royalty everywhere we went, with cheers, thanks and smiles. You almost can’t describe it in words. The support and goodwill for veterans, it’s overwhelming.”
Steve Kendall
Sadie Kashey Odum hails from New Jersey and wanted to do something a little different with her life. So, she enlisted in the newly formed Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (better known as “WAVES” or the US Naval Reserve/Women’s Reserve). At the time, the only place she had visited was New York City, close to where she lived. Two of her brothers were in the military, so she had that connection. She lost her older brother during his service in the South Pacific, a heart-breaking event for her and her family. Odum’s WAVE enlistment took her to New York for boot camp, then on to California for two years in administrative roles deploying young servicemen to various war theaters. When the war ended, she moved to Glenview, Illinois, as part of the general staff for Naval Air Reserve which had the mission of setting up the Naval Air Reserve stations all over the country.
She laughed describing her nickname, “My maiden name was Kashey, and in the service they
call you by your last name. So Kashey just stuck, I guess.” There in Illinois, she met her husband, Roscoe Odum. She and Roscoe were married for 55 years until he passed away. They have one daughter, Carol, and one granddaughter. Odum’s son-in-law, Stan Cottrell, accompanied her on Honor Flight as her guardian. She explained, “The guardian is a companion for the day. If you don’t have a family member who can go with you, there are people from the community who come along as guardians. My son-in-law, Stan, and my daughter encouraged me to go. In fact, he signed up before I did. I was a little undecided. But it was one of the best things I have ever done, to go on Honor Flight. I encourage veterans to sign up and have one of the best days of their lives.”
The World War II memorial was a highlight for Odum. “It was magnificent, very impressive. At the WWII memorial, people meet you in 1940s uniforms. There are dancers in ‘40s costumes doing the jitterbug. I never had so many hugs. They made me feel so special. It was that way everywhere we went.” Odum was the first off the plane at the Heroes Homecoming at Brunswick airport. In 2018, over 700 people turned out to cheer and greet the returning flight. “That airport was jam-packed; it was a surprise for sure. Friends, family, and people from the community were all cheering, waving and happy.”
Steve Kendall
The 2019 flight will take off May 4, 2019. Applications are still being taken, with priority given to WWII, then Korean and Vietnam veterans. Sites visited during the one- day trip include the World War II, Korean and Vietnam Memorials, the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and the famous Changing of the Guard Ceremony, the Marine Corps (Iwo Jima), Air Force and Navy Memorials as time permits.
Dave Olender, president of the Coastal Georgia Honor Flight board, said, “The end of the year is a big push for Honor Flight. It costs about $1,000 per veteran to accomplish the flight, with the trip being completely free to veterans. Guardians contribute $500 to go, or someone can donate on their behalf. If you are looking for a unique holiday gift, or if you’d like to remember a special veteran in your life, consider donating to Honor Flight. Donations are tax-deductible. The non-profit Coastal Georgia Honor Flight is an affiliate of the national Honor Flight Network, with 130 locations in 44 states.
Odum says, “How people celebrate you and support you during this flight is absolutely unbelievable. I’ll never forget it. I’m going to support Honor Flight so other veterans can experience what I did.” For more information or applications for veterans or guardians, visit coastalgeorgiahonorflight.org. Donations can be made to Coastal Georgia Honor Flight, Inc., P.O. Box 20466, St. Simons Island, GA 31522.
