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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“As soon as I saw her reach out to put her hand on her baby’s casket, I walked away.”
Bawling my eyes out at this line. Nothing worst than outliving your child.
When you see things like this, it reminds you of what military men and women do for our country. Few even think of this, and even fewer show the respect due to them. I salute all military men and women protecting our country and thank you so much for sharing this. It touched my heart.
As an Army Officer, I appreciate the gratitude and respect you have shown to our nations fallen. You, sir, are the reason we continue to fight for this great nation. We are the land of the free because of the brave. Pro Patria.
Thank you for sharing, truly made me tear up.
The transfer was done with excellent grace and dignity that our beloved warriors deserve. To the family who let us see this, thank you and you are in my prayers. Your loved one left this world protecting every American and I for one, am very thankful and deeply respectful. I feel your saddness and I hope one day the pain is not so great. Thank you.
It is very special to see this kind of respect given to our fallen warriors. These powerful images and words convey a moment to most, and a lifetime to the affected families and friends. This type of a welcoming is the very least a greatful nation can do for those who protect it. Rest in piece in the presence of the Lord , you are now home…
Unfortunately there are many who wont even bother to read this piece and continue to bad mouth our military! I for one thank you for the reminder and especially to our many brave heros who walk the line to keep us safe and free!
and do you have any idea how many more lives our actions have saved?
I was deployed to Baghram Afghanistan in 2008. Baghram is the central processing base for all fallen soldiers in Afghanistan. While I was there, many fallen soldiers came through there and then were flown home. Whenever the soldier was to be transported out to the aircraft, everyone on the base would line the streets the entire path and render a salute as the soldier was driven past them. Once out at the aircraft, there was a very somber ceremony that took place as the casket was loaded into the aircraft. I was honored to be standing there to pay respects, and even more so when I was allowed to be a part of the loading ceremony a few times. This ceremony and lining the streets happened every single time a fallen soldier was leaving Afghanistan, no matter what time the flight was to depart. 3 in the morning had just as many military members lining the street as 3 in the afternoon did. It was an honor regardless of the time. hated to see them go, but loved the way we said goodbye.
I got a lump in my thought just reading it. You truly have a way with words to make us feel we were there too.
I’m former military and have had to do this several times for some of my best friends. To see the person’s mother touch the box carrying her child home to her to bury truly is crushing. The hardest thing in the world to do is to hand her the flag off her child’s casket, salute her, thank her for her child…then turn and walk away. That said, I thank G-d every day that that is something that never gets easier to do.
of course, it is a tragedy to lose somebody in war, young, old, ally or non-ally. but did you every once pause to think how many lives have been destroyed and ended tragically thanks to US soldiers in everywhere from iraq, afghanistan, vietnam, to name a few. and do they get an aircraft transfer, a water cannon salute, a big funeral?! no, instead they are left and forgotten, just like every other person killed on “the other side”. i think the american people need to take their heads out of their a**es and wake the hell up, if our government weren’t sending these young poor people to take part in battle then there would not be any flights like this, any fallen soldiers and so on. how many lives has the US destroyed in this war?! how many has it ended?! so this is just paying the price, and i hope it all comes back triple, not to soldiers or the public, but to all of the politicians responsible for this mess. shame on them.
– a concerned US citizen
So, Steven, do you think when we send troops into another country they just kill everyone they see? Our military does not indiscriminately kill people. People die because they are trying to kill us. The rules of engagement were so strict that a soldier could ask to return fire only after bullets were hitting the vehicle. Do you know how many Vietnamese were killed AFTER we left? Millions. How about in Iraq? About 1000 a month. How many did Stalin or Mao kill? Are you happy that we didn’t intervene? Should we had let Hitler have his way? You do not stop evil by ignoring it or negotiating with it. The only way to stop it is to kill it. Be thankful that we have men and women like this fallen hero who are willing to do what you aren’t capable of doing.
So, what about all our citizens killed on 9/11? Are we to just sit back and let them come into our great country and kill us? Thank God for all our brave men and women that volunteer to fight our battles. I do believe it is time for all of them to come home, but we ar not the “killing machine” here, just protecting our own. Better on their land, then ours.
steven says:
November 1, 2013 at 10:24 am “of course, it is a tragedy to lose somebody in war, young, old, ally or non-ally. but did you every once pause to think how many lives have been destroyed and ended tragically thanks to US soldiers in everywhere from iraq, afghanistan, vietnam, to name a few. and do they get an aircraft transfer, a water cannon salute, a big funeral?! no, instead they are left and forgotten, just like every other person killed on “the other side”. i think the american people need to take their heads out of their a**es and wake the hell up, if our government weren’t sending these young poor people to take part in battle then there would not be any flights like this, any fallen soldiers and so on. how many lives has the US destroyed in this war?! how many has it ended?! so this is just paying the price, and i hope it all comes back triple, not to soldiers or the public, but to all of the politicians responsible for this mess. shame on them.
– a concerned US citizen
Steven, You focus is off target. “….thanks to US soldiers….” Currently, it is thanks to Obama. Quit making the soldiers scape goats to these situations. This drums up anger, animosity and hatred toward our military which has been shown so strongly during the “Shutdown” where politicians feel that they can do anything harmful to the military and get away with it because the people call the military, killers. That is what the Politicos want you to do which is protecting the Presidents. You need to thank Obama for the last five years, and the other Presidents…. Obama is the current and sole individual responsible for MAKING ALL OF THE DECISIONS, the deaths of the military, and others. It is he and he alone who is responsible for all of those deaths, not the military! You also have never seen the funerals for those martyrs, they are well attended and given a salute!