McMahan honored during journey to Washington, D.C.

While Abbevillian John M. McMahan was honored on Memorial Day weekend with a ceremony on Abbeville's Court Square in which he was presented with a DAR medal, this was no means the only recognition he received during this time to honor the contributions of the American military.

McMahan, following the program in front of the Abbeville County Courthouse, drove to Washington, D.C. Saturday night with his daughter Brenda, son in law Donald Bragg, brother Clevland "Cotton" McMahan of Georgia, his wife Geri, and niece Mary Lynn Milford of Lexington, and her husband Darryl.

On Sunday night he was honored along with two other World War II veterans by the National Association of Non-commissioned Officers, who presented him with a medal that is bestowed on outstanding veterans of World War II and Korea, Brenda noted.

Mr. McMahan stole the show with his stories of being a POW, and using laughter to offset the rigors of being the liaison between the American POWs and their German captors," she said.

McMahan received three standing ovations during his speech, Brenda said.

Then, on Memorial Day, at the Vietnam War Memorial, he was recognized during the ceremonies as a World War II veteran and POW.

He was thanked by the men and women there -- veterans of the Vietnam War and others -- for his service, she continued.

"And no one believed he was 90 years old," she said.

McMahan and family enjoyed sight seeing during their trip to the nation's capital, from which they returned Tuesday to Abbeville.

They saw the World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam Wormens Memorials, and visited Arlington National Cemetery as well.

"We were awe-inspired by the changing of the guard," she said.

It was not their first trip to Washington, but it might well have been their most memorable.