EASLEY — Easley city councilman Dave Watson said his father really didn’t like to talk about his experiences as a soldier in World War II.

“He rarely said anything to me about the war,” Watson said. “I didn’t know if he was embarrassed, or if there was something he just didn’t want me to know.”

Watson finally found out a little about his father’s war efforts when he accompanied his dad to a reunion with some of the troups he had served with in WWII.

One story took Watson’s breath away.

“Apparently, one day a kid came toward their camp, strapped with explosives,” Watson said. “He was supposed to go to where my father and the other soldiers were, and set off the explosives, killing himself, my father, and all the other allied troops in the area. My father had to make the decision in a second’s time. He shot the kid before he could get close enough to the allied troops.”

The boy was no more than 12 years old. Logically, the killing was justified — the boy was going to die anyway, but would have taken the lives of some American soldiers had he been allowed to set off his explosives. If anything, the German officials who sent the boy on the suicide mission were responsible for his death.

“Logically, my father knew that,” Watson said. “But he still had to live with the experience day to day. It was something he didn’t feel comfortable talking about with me or other members of the family, but he knew his war buddies understood, because they were there.

“It gave me even more respect for my father. He had the compassion to care about the little boy who was trying to kill him and his buddies, but he had the courage to step forward and do what was right.”

Watson tries to honor his father’s memory as often as possible. He has become involved with the Honor Flight program, which provides a trip to Washington for World War II veterans for them to see the memorial built for them and opened in 2004.

Watson has an auction planned for August in which all proceeds will benefit Honor Flight.

Monday night Watson got another chance to help the program as he, his fellow five members of city council, and Mayor Larry Bagwell combined for a unanimous vote for the city of Easley to contribute $2,000 to the Honor Flight program.

Pickens County Assistant Sheriff Tim Morgan presented information about Honor Flight during Monday night’s Easley City Council Meeting.

The first Pickens County Honor Flight will be Sept. 9, with veterans and their caretakers leaving that morning, touring the memorial, and returning by air that night.

That flight has been completely booked, Morgan said, and he’s hoping a second flight can be scheduled for some time in October. If the local organizers are not able to fund an October flight, a second flight would be held next spring. But time is not on Honor Flight’s side, Morgan said.

“We’ve already lost two from (the Sept. 9) flight,” Morgan said. “One gentleman passed away, and another is too sick to travel. Our window of opportunity is closing.”

Watson’s auction will be held Aug. 29 at Mountain View Auctions on Main Street, Easley.

Watson said he needs donations to be auctioned to help raise money for the cause.

“The city is being very helpful in allowing us to store the items for auction in the old gym up the road,” Watson said.

If you have nothing to give, at least show up to buy, Watson said.

“Let’s raise some money for this noble cause,” he said.