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Stories, favorites and great
The last ride home
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My lead flight attendant came to tell me, "We have an H.R. on this flight." (H.R. Stands for 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," I said.
A short while later a young US Army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier.
Escorts of fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive, still with us. "My soldier is on his way back to Virginia," he said and 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 he had the toughest job in the military, and I appreciated the work he does for 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 preflight 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 said and then proceeded to tell me the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they had not been able to see the container the soldier was in before we departed.
We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for a connecting flight home to Virginia. The soldier's father told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment but 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 our 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 attendant's voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do. "I'm on it," I said. I told her I would get back to her.
Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the dispatcher's telephone. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher. I explained the situation on board with the family and what the family wanted. He said he understood and 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 and saved the return message from the dispatcher. The text:
'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is no 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 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."
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's 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 all traffic was being held for us.
"There is a team in place to meet the aircraft," we were told. It looked like all was coming together when I realized 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 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 today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew asks all passengers to remain in 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 shutdown procedures. 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 after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed seated to wait for the family to exit the aircraft.
When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap. 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 passengers disembarking thanked me for my announcement. 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.
I respectfully ask all of you to reflect on this event and sacrifices millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these United States of AMERICA.
Foot note:
I know everyone who reads this will have tears in their eyes, including me. Prayer chain for our Military... Don't break it! Please send this on after a short prayer for our service men and women.
Don't break it!
They die for me and mine and you and yours and deserve our honor and respect.
Prayer Request:
When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops around the world.There is nothing attached. Just send this to people in your address book. Do not let it stop with you. Of all the gifts you could give a Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and others deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best one.
GOD BLESS YOU!
Thank you all who have served, or are serving. We will not forget!
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#EZ.32424 Exp 01-17
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Ref: Bill Walaitis
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