COMING HOME

By The Flying Pinto

As a Flight Attendant I have often seen and heard many stories from fellow Flight Attendants and Pilots of bringing our Fallen Soldiers home. I thought I would share a story I found from a passenger:

A Simple Thank You
Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who’d been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home.
No, he responded.
Heading out I asked?
No. I’m escorting a soldier home.
Going to pick him up?
No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq. I’m taking him home to his family.
The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn’t know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier’s family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days. I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.
Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and made the following announcement over the intercom.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign.”
Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.
So here’s a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do so we can live the way we do.
Stuart Margel, Washington, D.C.

(this photo and story courtesy of Kerryblogger’s photostream)

Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News (First Place)
When 2nd Lt. James Cathey’s body arrived at the Reno Airport, Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac.
During the arrival of another Marine’s casket last year at Denver International Airport, Major Steve Beck described the scene as so powerful: “See the people in the windows? They sat right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what’s going through their minds, knowing that they’re on the plane that brought him home,” he said. “They will remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They’re going t o remember bringing that Marine home. And they should.”


I hope you all had a great Memorial Day and a chance to honor our Fallen Soldiers from this war and of wars past and after you’ve had that chance go listen John Lennon’s “Imagine.”

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8 comments

  1. UpUpnAAway @ 2009-05-25 19:55

    Thank You for sharing your story with the Blog community!.. I've had to escort a body home, It was one of the hardest things I've had to do in the Military!

    God Bless to all those that serve & the Family Members who support them!

  2. camerapilot @ 2009-05-25 21:49

    Thank you for posting that.

  3. A very powerful story and picture! Thanks for sharing this with us.

  4. Postcards and Coasters @ 2009-05-26 01:46

    Wow, that story and picture really makes me grateful for all the amazing soldiers who fight for our freedom everyday. Thanks for sharing a great post!

  5. Joanna Jenkins @ 2009-05-26 16:31

    Thank you for sharing.

  6. The Flying Pinto @ 2009-05-26 20:53

    UUAA: You're welcome…loved yours too: ) I can imagine it would be…big thanks to YOU!!

    UUAA,CP, A, PC, & JJ: You're welcome: )Thanks for being a big part of my blog!

  7. Please read “Final Salute” – it tells the story of the young man who is in that casket, as well as the story of others being brought home. It’s stunning, moving, and well-worth the read.

  8. Anonymous @ 2009-05-29 02:59

    FlyGuy, an airline Captain posted two great stories on this same subject. I highly recomend having some tissues handy while reading. The first is Fallen Soldier, and it continues in Fallen Soldier, the rest of the Story.