SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – Before he even graduated high school, Robert Scherer and his buddies had already enlisted in the Air Force.

“We were all in the Air Force together and went down to the Lackland Air Force base five days after graduation,” said Scherer.

He ended up at the Kelly Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi where he became a morse code intercept operator.

“And you had to recognize that,” Scherer told 7NEWS. “Not only because of the sound of the key, but it could be a bird chirping, could be water dropping.”

After boot camp Scherer deployed to Turkey.

“Our job was to listen to anything that came across two bands, that were assigned the bands or like radio frequencies,” said Scherer.

He did that for two years until he came back to the States before retiring from the service and going into active duty for another two years.

However, Scherer’s service has never stopped. Following his retirement, he got heavily involved with the American Legion.

“The first couple of years, I was involved with one of the posts up in Illinois,” Scherer said. “And of course, we did the honor guard, military honors for funerals.”

Scherer said he kept very busy doing that.

“We ended up doing anywhere from one to three funerals a day, sometimes seven a week,” he explained. “Sometimes another funeral will be coming in and will not have an honor guard, so then we go ahead and have to do that one.”

As Scherer has moved from state to state, he’s continued his work through honor guard making sure veterans receive their final salute to service.

“Every veteran that dies should have a military funeral,” he explained. “Every event. Doesn’t matter what they are, who they are, or what rank they are.”

His work over the years has promoted him to several different positions like District Commander and State Commander.

Scherer has received many awards including the Order of the Palmetto, a quilt of valor, and Legionnaire of the Year.

But Scherer said his biggest achievement of all…

“What’s rewarding to me is that when I go to a post, they know who I am,” Scherer said. “They know they can trust me. They know my name. They know my wife’s name, and we feel part of a family.”

And he’s glad to give back.

When asked if he’d do it all over again?

“In a minute…” he expressed with gratitude.

Robert Scherer, Thank You for Your Service.

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