Master Chief on Deck: Meet Lake James’ Top Volunteer of 2024

A former Navy submariner, David Fleming volunteered 450 hours at understaffed Lake James State Park in 2024, helping manage both heavy visitation and hurricane recovery.

Lake James State Park continued to be short-staffed in 2024, down six employees in a year with 531,224 visitors and a destructive visit from Hurricane Helene, but eager volunteers helped fill in the gaps. 

Trail workers, landscapers, litter picker-uppers—they trooped onto our sidewalks, beaches, and trails to improve the park experience for everyone.  Overall, volunteers logged in 2,884 hours of work, but one volunteer in particular rose above the rest.

David Fleming, the Long Arm campground host, logged in 450 hours of service in 2024, the highest for any individual. He welcomed boat-in campers, sold firewood for the Friends of Lake James State Park, educated boaters on park rules, and even assessed trail and road damage after Hurricane Helene.

Most impressively, he did all this while living in a primitive campground with no electricity or drinking water. 

In his hometown of Spartanburg, young David spent many hours wandering with friends through the woods and fishing for minnows and crawdads, and once grown, he took his wife and children on camping trips every weekend he could.  He topped off his outdoor experience by hiking all 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail in 2018.

David’s real claim to fame, however, came from his career as a Navy submariner. He started as a torpedo man, was promoted to Chief of the Boat (the captain’s right-hand man), and ended with the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer. His type of boat was called a “submarine killer”, and he has been around the world three times… under water. 

Because of his military service, park rangers bestowed David’s rank as a nickname, and “Master Chief” soon became a member of the park family. He introduced the practice of selling firewood from his boat, and he rode out Hurricane Helene in his campsite. After the storm, he truly became indispensable as he documented the hundreds of trees knocked down in the campground and along the Fonta Flora State Trail and Tindo and Wimba loops.

During a year of staff burnout and one big hurricane, volunteer help has been essential, and David’s hardiness, friendliness, and diligence have proved an enormous asset.  He invites all to come hike the park’s open trails, and if you make reservations for the Long Arm Campground, he recommends sites L01 or L22.

Thank you for your service, David!