This might bring a tear to your eye! From an airline Captain:
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 on his own. 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 th e soldier we are carrying, is on board', he said. He 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 fligh t 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 ou tside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the
airplane. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when he
asked me if there was anything I could do.
'I'm on it', I said. I told him that I
would get back to him.
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 t he 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 this 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 t he family only.&nb sp;
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 pl ace 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.
Hi s 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. Wh en 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 were 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 th em
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.
Remember our Troops in Prayers, Daily.
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