Back in October 2013, I boarded a flight that I wasn’t originally supposed to be on. I wasn’t feeling well and so I postponed my flight by a day. Little did I know then that because of this change, I would end up on what would turn into the most emotional flight of my life. It’s now 12 years later and still, I think of this flight often, but especially on Veteran’s Day. Here’s what made it so emotional. RELATED: Travel Tip: Give Your Upgrade to a Soldier
Delta Flight 2255 from Atlanta to Los Angeles seemed to be an ordinary flight with the exception of Candy, who was the most loving flight attendant I’ve ever encountered. Besides using her southern charm to quickly defuse every situation, she began her welcome announcement by thanking the handful of uniformed soldiers on-board for serving our country. Her poignant message was followed by applause and put into perspective that none of us would be able to do what we do if it weren’t for these brave men and women.
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But this transcontinental flight turned out to be everything but ordinary. We later learned, when the captain got on the PA system about 45 minutes prior to landing, that we were transporting a fallen soldier. The plane went quiet as he explained that there was a military escort on-board and asked that everyone remain seated for a couple of minutes so the soldiers could get off first. He also warned us not to be alarmed if we saw fire trucks since Los Angeles greets their fallen military with a water cannon salute. See the video of this extraordinary experience below.
A few minutes after touchdown, we did indeed have a water cannon salute, which I’d previously only experienced on happy occasions like inaugural flights. This time, the water glistening on the windowpanes looked like tears.
Passengers in the airport must have been worried when they saw our plane pull into gate 69A, as we had a full police and fire escort, front and back.
I was on the left side of the plane and later realized that the family could be seen off to the right, standing with the United States Army Honor Guard. According to Wikipedia, each military branch has its own honor guard, usually military in nature, and is composed of volunteers who are carefully screened. One of the primary roles of honor guards is to provide funeral honors for fallen comrades.
When the jet door opened, another military officer addressed the escort who was standing at attention. He then stepped on the plane and told us passengers, “I just addressed the escort. It is a sworn oath to bring home, to the family, the fallen.” He paused and then said, “Today you all did that, you are all escorts, escorts of the heart.” He then thanked us for our time and walked off the plane.
As you can imagine, everyone was silent and no one got up, not even that person from the back row who always tries to be the first off the plane. I’m sure that most had meteor-sized lumps in their throats and tears in their eyes like I did.
It only got more emotional when I deplaned. There were many passengers, who are normally in a hurry to get home or make a connection, standing by the window to witness something truly moving. To see the Honor Guard and family waiting, while LAX baggage handlers and a military loadmaster removed the flag-covered casket first from the cargo hold, was humbling to say the least. I’m not sure if it was the fallen soldier’s mother or wife who I watched slowly approach the coffin while a few other family members, wrapped in blankets, stood near with a dozen or so of the Honor Guards standing in salute.
As soon as I saw her reach out to put her hand on her baby’s casket, I walked away.
This ordinary flight became extraordinary and is one that I will never forget.
JOHNNY’S NOTE: I had no idea this story and video would strike a chord with so many people. I’ve received literally thousands of comments and emails but one of the most impactful was the one left on Yahoo from reader Indiana Joan. She said:
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A wonderful tribute to one of our fallen brave soldiers! However, the individual who wrote this article is dishonorable by this unnecessary comment:
“As you can imagine, everyone was silent and no one got up, not even that person from the back row who pretends he doesn’t [understand] English so he can be first off the plane.” Who are you to presume that a person from the back row does not speak English? Did you speak to this person? How did you arrive at that conclusion.
As a former f.a. & an oft traveler, I have never encountered such a person. People like me have little tolerance for the intolerant and you punctuated this otherwise great show of respect to one of our own with your personal bigoted comment. Bev of Boston, MA
Bev, Get a life. Nobody cares what you have to say. Pretty pathetic that you have to come on here and make unnecessary comments. You are showing your bigoted self, nobody thought this, but you. Because of these patriots, you are able to throw your trash mouth out on the internet. God Bless them all!
Johnny:
The Airport Police Officer that boarded your flight and asked for your patience was Officer Tommy Dye USN (retired) Master Chief. He’s a member of the elite LAXPD Honor Guard and started the Fallen Soldier Detail at LAX. He’s truly a special person.
http://youtu.be/5ezbiUVNyLE
How heart rendering to all who have expressed these thoughts… I too recall the day my only brother’s flag draped casket… was unloaded and rolled off the plane for my Father and I to receive in Toledo, Ohio during Viet Nam conflict…it was on his 21st Birthday …We were duly presented his honorary awards and medals posthumously to myself and our parents ; at a soon after …later date by other military dignitaries via a special flight arrival arrangement to the Toledo International airport where the military officers thanked us for his bravery and service to our Country… Moving and forever a memory of gratitude…for a sister to experience this honor for him serving in a war soooo unpopular
Your piece had my hairs on the back of my neck go up…having a nephew in the armed services makes me hope his mom never has to go through this. But it is with them that we all breath freely. Service to the country with little expectation in return – something that our elected could learn from.
Very moving, but a far,far cry from the Vietnam War When returning from Vietnam in 1971 on an emergency flight due to the death of my father, I rode in the cargo hold of a C-5A. I was the lone passenger alive there. There were hundreds of caskets of needlessly fallen soldiers. When will we ever learn?
What an honor and privilege for you to have been on that flight. I am so thankful for the technology we have today which allows these stories to be shared. I felt some of what you felt – experiencing this through your article and video. THANK YOU for allowing me to imagine what it was like for you and the other passengers, and to reflect on this great nation and our many heroes out there protecting it for us.
nice story…but I experienced a better one….I was stationed in japan during the Vietnam war and when my rotation time came I was scheduled to depart from yokota ab near Tokyo. while waiting for my flight and announcement came over the pa that they needed a msgt with a top secret cryptographic clearance to volunteer to escort some crypto equipment back to the mainland. so saving about nine hours of time I volunteered for the job. when I boarded the cargo area of the C-141 aircraft I was amazed and saddened to see twenty caskets of fallen
soldiers stacked in the cargo area. it was truly a event I will never forget…..
Did you know Delta Air Lines has its own Honor Guard. They do an unbelievably great job honoring our Fallen Soldies everywhere they fly them and do nothing to advertize this. Everyone needs to watch this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_VGxfmDmEo
It is heartbreaking to realize their sacrifice is in vain and only benefits those in power. They are lured to their death by promises of honor that no longer exists in this age.
Let us not forget the one who are wounded in ways we can not see.
they are the ones who suffer in silence.
I haven’t cried like this in years. And I have to say that in your lifetime it will be very rare to see a love like Katherine had for her husband.
As a former employee of an airline that took them home from the theater, it was always an honor to be dispatch and plan those flights. God Speed to all and thank you!