NEESES -- Shelby Pou and his brother D.N. live about three miles from one another. Shelby resides in Neeses. D.N. just outside of Livingston.

They visit one another on a daily basis, as close siblings often do.

The two brothers reminisce, and D.N., being a handyman, will frequently help his older brother with small projects or something that "needs fixin'. "

Shelby retired in 1962 from Utica Tools. D.N. is a retired self-employed well digger.

Besides being brothers, another common thread they share is that both served their country during World War II. Both are members of the Greatest Generation.

After finishing North High School in 1937, Shelby enlisted in the U.S. Marines the following week. D.N. was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1944, after completing school and a 16-month employment at the Savannah Shipyard.

"I ended up driving an amphibious duck," the younger D.N. said. "Later, I ran a tugboat in Manila.

"To this day, I know God had his hand on me. Otherwise, I would have been in the Infantry Division."

D.N. said he was in the Philippines when the war ended.

"There must have been 50 to 75 ships all blowing their horns when the war ended. You could feel the hairs on your neck standing," he said. "When I returned home two years later, I was a staff sergeant and was sent by train to Atlanta to be discharged. I remember coming home with only the clothes on my back. Why they kept my duffle bag, I don't know. I was only thinking about going home.

"I re-enlisted for four more years, but I was never called back."

As for Shelby, he said he retired from the military after 21 years of service in both the Marines and the Army.

"After completing basic training at Parris Island and further training, I was shipped out from San Diego, Calif.," he said.

As fate would have it, both brothers served in the Philippines, but in different locations.

"All of the mail was censured back then," Shelby said. "However, when I found out that D.N. was in the Philippines, I wrote him a letter."

D.N. must have received it.

"Later on, someone taps me on the shoulder saying, 'Don't you recognize your brother!'" Shelby said.

The Pou brothers spent the next three days together, and when it was time for D.N. to return to his base, he spent the night under the wings of the plane he would catch the next morning.

"I wrote his travel order back," Sgt. Major Shelby Pou said, smiling.

A half-century later, the Pou brothers were recognized for their service to their country by Honor Flight South Carolina.

On Saturday, they joined dozens of other World War II veterans from across the state as they departed Columbia Metropolitan Airport and spent the entire day in Washington, D.C.

Honor Flight is a program funded by individuals and businesses who make it possible for World War II veterans to visit the National World War II Memorial. While in the nation's capital, the group also visited the Korean, Vietnam and Lincoln memorials.

Following the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of the Unknowns, the charter flight returned to Columbia for a heroes' welcome.

T&D Correspondent Rendy Boland can be reached with comments or story ideas by phone at 803-535-2222. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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