As we commemorate this Memorial Day, 2015, we share a story to
recall the sacrifices our brave service men and women and their families
encounter….as they face reality.
May God send his Angels to watch over us all, but
most especially, those in harm’s way!
A MEMORIAL DAY REMEMBRANCE
My lead flight attendant came to me and said,
“We have an H.R. on thisflight.” (H.R=human remains) “Are they
military?” I asked. ‘Yes’, she said. ‘Is there an escort?’ I asked.
‘Yes, I’ve already assigned him a seat’. ‘Would you please tell
him to come to the Flight Deck. You can board him early,”
“We have an H.R. on thisflight.” (H.R=human remains) “Are they
military?” I asked. ‘Yes’, she said. ‘Is there an escort?’ I asked.
‘Yes, I’ve already assigned him a seat’. ‘Would you please tell
him to come to the Flight Deck. You can board him early,”
A short while later a young army sergeant entered the flight deck.
He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He
introduced himself and I asked himabout his soldier.
The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them
as if they are still alive and still with us.
‘My soldier is on his way back to Virginia‘, he said.
He proceeded to answer my questions,
introduced himself and I asked himabout his soldier.
The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them
as if they are still alive and still with us.
‘My soldier is on his way back to Virginia‘, he said.
He proceeded to answer my questions,
but offered no words.
I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no.
I told him that he had the toughest job in the military, and
that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of
our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of
our seats to shake his hand.
that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of
our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of
our seats to shake his hand.
He left the Flight Deck to find his seat.
We completed our pre-flight checks, pushed back and performed an
uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight, I
received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin.
“I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying,
is also on board’. She then proceeded to tell me that the
father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were
escorting their son, husband, and father home.
The family was upset because they were
unable to see the container the
soldier was in before we left.
received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin.
“I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying,
is also on board’. She then proceeded to tell me that the
father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were
escorting their son, husband, and father home.
The family was upset because they were
unable to see the container the
soldier was in before we left.
We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait
four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia. The father
of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son
was below him in the cargo compartment and being
unable to see him was too much for him and the
family to bear. He had asked the flight
attendant if there was anything that
could be done to allow them to see
him upon arrival. The family
wanted to be outside by the
cargo door to watch the
soldier being taken off the airplane.
of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son
was below him in the cargo compartment and being
unable to see him was too much for him and the
family to bear. He had asked the flight
attendant if there was anything that
could be done to allow them to see
him upon arrival. The family
wanted to be outside by the
cargo door to watch the
soldier being taken off the airplane.
I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she
asked me if there was anything I could do. ‘I’m on it’, I said.
I told her that I would get back to her.
Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my
flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. I explained the
situation I had on board with the family and what it was the
family wanted. He said he understood and that he would get
back to me. Two hours went by and I had not heard from
the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I
needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a
text message asking for an update. I saved the
return message from the dispatcher;
following is the text:
flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. I explained the
situation I had on board with the family and what it was the
family wanted. He said he understood and that he would get
back to me. Two hours went by and I had not heard from
the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I
needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a
text message asking for an update. I saved the
return message from the dispatcher;
following is the text:
‘Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now, and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a
dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort
the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load
the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family
will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the
terminal, where the remains can be seen on the ramp.
It is a private area for the family only. When the
connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be
escorted onto the ramp and plane side to
watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home.’
dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort
the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load
the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family
will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the
terminal, where the remains can be seen on the ramp.
It is a private area for the family only. When the
connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be
escorted onto the ramp and plane side to
watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home.’
Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass
our condolences on to the family. Thanks. I sent a message back,
telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the
message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on
to the father. The lead flight attendant was very
thankful and told me, ‘You have no idea how
much this will mean to them.’
thankful and told me, ‘You have no idea how
much this will mean to them.’
Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing.
After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area.
The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway.
It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which
way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked
in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was
being held for us and there is a team in place to meet the
aircraft. It looked like it was all coming together, then
I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off,
everyone would stand up at once and delay the
family from getting off the airplane.
It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which
way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked
in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was
being held for us and there is a team in place to meet the
aircraft. It looked like it was all coming together, then
I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off,
everyone would stand up at once and delay the
family from getting off the airplane.
As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller,
we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement
to the passengers. He did that and the ramp
controller said, ‘Take your time.’
to the passengers. He did that and the ramp
controller said, ‘Take your time.’
I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public address
button and said: ‘Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking:
I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement.
We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and
respect. His name is Private xxxxxx, a soldier who
recently lost his life. Private xxxxxx is under your
feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him todayis
Army Sergeant xxxxxx. Also, on board are his
father, mother, wife, and daughter.
Your entire flight crew is asking for
all passengers to remainin their seats to
allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.’
respect. His name is Private xxxxxx, a soldier who
recently lost his life. Private xxxxxx is under your
feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him todayis
Army Sergeant xxxxxx. Also, on board are his
father, mother, wife, and daughter.
Your entire flight crew is asking for
all passengers to remainin their seats to
allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.’
We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our
shutdownprocedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the
cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants
crying, something you just do not see. I was told that
after we came to a stop, every passenger on the
aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the
crying, something you just do not see. I was told that
after we came to a stop, every passenger on the
aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the
family to exit the aircraft. When the family got
up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to
clap his hands. Moments later, more passengers joined in and
soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of ‘God Bless You’,
I’m sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered
to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp
to finally be with their loved one.
up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to
clap his hands. Moments later, more passengers joined in and
soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of ‘God Bless You’,
I’m sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered
to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp
to finally be with their loved one.
Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I
had made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over
and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.
and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.
I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure
our freedom and safety in these
our freedom and safety in these
United States of AMERICA.