He was in the service for 2½ years. And while it was more than six decades ago, the 83-year-old veteran, still sharp and able-bodied, recalls his time on the USS Nicholas during World War II fondly, as if it were recent.
"You hit some pretty rough water in it," said O'Neill, standing in his basement office surrounded by artist renderings of the ship, which received 16 battle stars during the war and became the most decorated destroyer in history. "We would kid and say, 'Every man had a room of his own - room enough to turn over.' "
The native of Chelsea, Mass., will turn 84 Wednesday, coincidently on Veterans Day, when he'll be busy attending four functions with the Antique Veterans of Meriden. But this year, he will start the day having received a very special and significant birthday present the weekend before.
O'Neill is one of 102 veterans of the war who will travel to Washington to visit their own monument for the first time.
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"The veterans, they turn 18 again," said Jody Barr, a volunteer who helps coordinate the effort. "They're like, 'Oh my God, this is amazing.' "
"They have cried and said it's their last hurrah."
The organization was established by 32-year-old Christopher Coutu of Norwich, who invested his life's savings to start the program and send Connecticut veterans to their monument.
More than 425 have traveled so far on the chartered flights from Bradley International Airport to Reagan International Airport. Three other area World War II veterans - Robert Grimord and Martin Gaffey of Meriden and Robert Rouse, a resident of Ashlar Village - also will be on this weekend's trip.
"It's solely based on money. If we had enough, we'd do a trip every week," said Barr, a Colchester resident and one of 47 volunteers or guardians who each pay $300 to participate.
Cheshire's Wendy Powell will pick up O'Neill at his East Main Street home to escort him and another veteran on the trip.
"I'm so passionate about veterans and especially of World War II," she said. "Every November 11, I have about 40 guys from all wars: Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War and of course World War II that I send packages of things I collected year-round."
O'Neill, who enlisted twice after receiving a medical discharge, is honored to be able to go on the trip considering many of the 16 million who served in the armed services during the war will never have the opportunity to see the memorial, which opened in 2004.
"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "These guys are doing a wonderful thing, they really are." The town resident of 16 years said he's not much into taking photographs, but he'll be clicking away Saturday.
shernandez@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2266
