College of Charleston English professor Michael T. Owens will bring his writing to life when he accompanies veterans on a trip to the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C. Owens is writing a book focused on a local WWII veteran, who is one of the more than 30 veterans who will fly to Washington on May 4, 2013, courtesy of Honor Flight Lowcountry, an organization that provides veterans an all-expense paid trip to the nation’s capital to visit memorials built in their honor.

“I shared my project with the Honor Flight committee,” Owens explains. “They offered to fly both my veteran pal and myself to D.C. In addition to being invaluable research for my book, I’m sure I’ll also have some interesting things to share with my students, especially since this summer I will be teaching special topics courses centered on oral history and writing.”

Owens will be tweeting throughout the trip at @EdwardsWarStory.

“On prior flights, we have had some veterans tell us that they had never shared their World War II memories with anyone until the day of their visit to the World War II Memorial,” says Barbara Fairfax, Honor Flight Lowcountry Executive Committee member. “I’m sure Michael will find it one of the most rewarding days he’s ever spent.”

“We hope Michael will gather some great stories from the veterans,” added Ronda Greaves, also a member of the Honor Flight Lowcountry Executive Committee.

Owens agrees, “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Honor Flight Lowcountry is a non-profit organization that provides veterans an all-expense paid trip to the nation’s capital for a day of visiting memorials built in their honor. During the trip, veterans receive meals, coach transportation, tour guides, medical equipment, and other assistance as needed.

For more information, Michael T. Owens can be reached at mowens@g.cofc.edu.

For more information about Honor Flight Lowcountry, call 843.906.0399.