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Brinnutz
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 02:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Checked snopes after the fact, couldn't find anything.

Anyways, real or not, it'll get ya...Copied and pasted from an email.

Sorry I don't normally do this, but hell after seeing Section 60 : Arlington on National Geographic yesterday I'm going to share.


quote:

MAY GOD BLESS THIS AIRLINE CAPTAIN:

He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "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 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 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. 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. 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 on board', she said. 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 that 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 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 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 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 telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher.. 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 and the 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. 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 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.

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. 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.'

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 is asking for 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 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.

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.

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 United States of AMERICA .

Foot note:
As a Viet Nam Veteran I can only think of all the veterans including the ones that rode below the deck on their way home and how they we were treated. When I read things like this I am proud that our country has not turned their backs on our soldiers returning from the various war zones today and give them the respect they so deserve.





Like I said, snopes has nothing on it, and until they do, I'm going to believe most of the story. ; )
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Aeholton
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 02:41 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Got me too. Thanks for sharing.
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Delta_one
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 02:51 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

that story hit me hard....



bless our troops and their families
those who have served
those who have died
and those who carry their memories
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Damnut
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 03:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

if any of you have a moment, watch the HBO movie "Taking Chance".

http://www.hbo.com/movies/taking-chance/index.html
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Nevrenuf
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 03:08 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

i had a hard time trying to finish that. it would be so disgusting if it were found out that it wasn't true.
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Drkside79
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 03:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Yeah that one got me as well. Now all i have to say is I pray to God that it is true.
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Kc10_fe
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 04:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

THis does happed often there is an entire photo story of this online somewhere. Im a Flight Engineer on an Air Force KC-10 and we carry HRs to Dover often. It never gets easier, not even after the 10, 20 or 50th. The hardest one for me as of yet was meeting an Army General when we landed who was there to witness the transfer of his Lt daughter who was killed along with her SSgt driver by an IED in A-Stan. He was running an operation in Iraq when they were killed. No words exist to explain the scene.
This pic is the online story of a return home.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BleQfyGsmFA/ShrtUDAR3lI/AAAAAAAAC1A/wCqkdua6yWA/s400/fallen+soldier

(Message edited by kc10_fe on May 20, 2010)

(Message edited by blake on May 20, 2010)
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Blake
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 04:25 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

What Damnut said...

If any of you have a moment, watch the HBO movie "Taking Chance".

http://www.hbo.com/movies/taking-chance/index.html

Sunday, May 30 at 8pm EDT
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Reindog
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 04:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Hey KC:

you need to fix your link and remove 'http://'
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Kc10_fe
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 07:06 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/06/04/books/ 20080605_SALUTE_SLIDESHOW_index.html

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/06/04/books/ 20080605_SALUTE_SLIDESHOW_index.html
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Nevrenuf
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 07:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

i remember seeing some of that one quite a while ago. noticed the one of his widow spending the night. very touching to see the rest of those picks.
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Hammer71
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 08:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

The one with the widow was a Marine. When
I find the article and photos I'll post up. Sounds very
much the same as posted above just different branch
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Stalker
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 09:04 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Damn I hate it when I read stuff like this while im at work.
Good post very touching, makes ya remember whats important.

>>>If any of you have a moment, watch the HBO movie "Taking Chance".

If you dont.... make one!
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Boogiman1981
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 09:23 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

wow jsut wow glad i was at home for that.
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Augustus74
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 10:17 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Great story, even if its not true, it at least lead me to the other story links posted.
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Aldaytona
Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 10:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I am proud to be a member of the VFW Honor Guard.
Our VFW Post 3282 Honor Guard performs at funerals and veteran/patriotic events all over the Daytona Beach area.
Stop by when in the area and say hi.
Allan M. Staples
Post Commander
VFW 3282
Port Orange, Fl 32128
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Paw
Posted on Friday, May 21, 2010 - 08:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I'm not at home...I'm sitting on my machine, I started a cut that will last over an hour and decided to check into BadWeb...This is a wonderful story and I'm sitting here at work fighting back the tears.
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U4euh
Posted on Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 02:29 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I quit fighting after the 2nd time. Proud to be an American! God Bless them All!
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