From a soldier (GrandPAH)

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_2

I attended a Fallen Warrior ceremony last night, one of our own is headed home.

We got a phone call around 2300 a C-17 (Air force's
second largest transport aircraft) was coming in with a casket on board, we were asked to send two "bodies". I know "bodies" sounds harsh or perhaps indifferent but it's the way we talk around here, maybe it is a way of separating the emotion from the reality... we use
the term "bodies" for everything, "I need two "bodies" to go pick up trash" or "send a body over to help with... whatever..." ect ect.


Tonight it was two "bodies" for Fallen Warrior detail, it seemed ill placed and somehow inappropriate.


We asked the airmen if anyone wanted to go, some grumbled (I believe it was in how it was asked of them that caused the grumbles). I wanted to go but gave others a chance to volunteer first... one airmen stepped up and I voiced my desire to go. The C-17 wasn't due down till 0150 so we had some time to wait. The time passed disturbingly mundanely... check email... answer questions on the radio... eat... about 0125 I checked out a truck and radio (2-way type), my young airman and I headed down to the C-17 parking area.


It took us a while to find out where the C-17 was going to park and figure out where folks were meeting to set up the detail.

As we waited for the C-17 I realized just how busy this place is. It's the US military's gateway to the middle east, I watched a commercial 747 being loaded with pallet after pallet of cargo, a C-130 load up a crew of army folks in full battle rattle, rifles, baggage
and gear... headed in to who knows where. We had a B-1 IFE (In Flight Emergency) in with 1 engine shut down... this place never rests. By now a pretty large group of people were standing around the edge of the C-17 parking area and our bird landed right on time 0150, it taxied to it's parking spot and had engines shut down by 0200. I
began to realize at this point why we had been asked to only send two "bodies", there were perhaps 50 people standing around waiting to be a part of this. We walked en-mass over to the aft end of the C-17, you'd expect that a large group like that would be somewhat loud , but it wasn't... I turned off my radio. We all stopped perhaps 30 yards from the back of the jet... and waited. Waited for it to open... I didn't know what I expected, an honor guard? an empty cargo area with a flag draped casket? The loading ramp whirred open and a K-loader rolled up to it. Then, in a flurry of activity, off rolled 10 pallets
of cargo. The crew, obviously a well oiled team, in a matter of minutes unload several tons of cargo... Then it was us.

We gathered in a group and got or instructions. Formations seem to be so engrained into our military brains that it doesn't take much talking to get us formed up neatly... our crowd seemed to have grown a bit... our formation was two lines, three people deep, facing each other, starting at the cargo ramp to about 15 yards behind the C-17.
A small white van backed up to the end of our line. I could just see inside the cargo area of the jet... there, in stark contrast to the grey paint and aluminum, an aluminum box draped in Red White and Blue. It seemed tiny in the cavernous belly of that jet... We were called to attention... An honor guard of six formed at our center and slowly marched into the awaiting hold. On their return, bearing their tender cargo, we saluted as one. Someone's Son, Daughter, Father, Mother, Sister, or Brother passed before us, placed gently into a small white van, the doors were closed and as one we slowly dropped
our salute. As the van pulled away we were dismissed.

No fanfare. No speeches. Just a group of brethren gathered at the back of a jet on a busy cargo ramp to say goodbye to someone we didn't know, but loved dearly. All of us thankful that we are where we are, but at the same time heartbroken because we weren't there to stop the
bleeding or spot the IED or simply take the place of that anonymous Fallen Warrior in that flag draped box that passed before us.

Jim Pompetti

America

God Bless You God bless America

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Darin Cook_8

Dignity and Honor

I participated in several of these anonymous fallen comrade ceremonies and several "not so" anonymous ceremonies over in the desert. It was a HUGE honor every single time. Most folks think of a parade or spit shined color guard formation to honor these fallen patriots. It seemed so fitting in the desert to be in DCU's, body armor, standing at attention - saluting. God Bless ALL of our fallen brethren. They paid a price for freedom that most never even come close to.


Darin

Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating

A Real American Hero

God Bless all the men and women fighting for us every day.

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Darrell_4

Thanks!

Thanks to all of you who have, and do, serve...so that, just maybe, me and my sons won't have to. We appreciate you, your calling, and the sacrifices you make on our behalf.

s.teermjen2574372

Thank you

Thank you for posting this moving, well written message.
It gave my older eyes a soft feeling..
We are social creatures, but we die one at a time. I am grateful these soldiers and airmen are given this chance to stand for us all in respect for the fallen.
When I arrived up country in Viet Nam in 1966 there was a vinyl body bag next to cargo pallets at the side of a dusty runway. He had been a 105 pilot , they said, who struck a ridge. It was lonely. When my senior officer decided to try out my job one day [not a big deal] he was shot by a man in one of the caves into which we were supposed to project peaceful psywar messages. There was no ceremony.
War is often random and melancholy. I am grateful for your post.

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_11

my thoughts too

I too was struck by the wording and raw emotions woven into the text. He painted a vivid image in my mind and my vision was likewise affected.

Mark Eatherton

Thank him for me and my family too...

Very touching. That slow salute just KILLS me. Yanks the emotions right out in front for God and the rest of the world to see....

ME