A compelling topic:
A friend sent me this via e-mail. You are a better person then I if your eyes do not tear up after reading it, or maybe not.[;)]
Trinity +++
It has been said that Marines are at war. America is at the
mall. ."
Diary Of A Last and Final Flight Home
February 17, 2007, 0350 hours
I was at curbside at 24th and M, Washington DC . 16 Degrees with
a light breeze. Going home after my second week of freezing temps
to my warm home in SoCal. Take a walk on the beach, ride a horse,
climb a mountain and get back to living. I'm tired of the cold.
0425, paying the taxi fare at Dulles in front of the United Airlines
counter, still cold.
0450, engaged the self-serve ticker machine and it delivers my ticket, baggage tag and boarding pass. Hmmm, that Marine over there is all dressed up in his dress blues a bit early this morning...
"Good Morning Captain, you're looking sharp." He says, "Thank you, sir."
Pass Security and to my gate for a decaf coffee and 5 hours
sleep. A quick check of the flight status monitor and UA Flt 211
is on time. I'm up front, so how bad can that be? Hmmm, there's
that same Marine. He must be heading to Pendleton to see his lady
at LAX for the long weekend, all dressed up like that. Or maybe not. I dunno.
The speaker system announces "Attention in the boarding area,
we'll begin boarding in 10 minutes, we have some additional
duties to attend to this morning, but we'll have you out of here on time."
The Marine Captain has now been joined by five others. BINGO, I
get it, he's not visiting his lady, he's an official escort. I
remember doing that once, CACO duty. I still remember the names
of the victim and family, The Bruno Family in Mojave - all of
them, wows, that was 24 years ago.
On board, 0600:
"Good morning folks, this is the Captain. This morning we've been
attending to some additional duties, and I apologize for being 10
minutes late for push back, but I believe we'll be early into LAX.
This morning it is my sad pleasure to announce that 1st LT Jared
Landaker, USMC will be flying with us to his Big Bear home in
Southern California . Jared lost his life over the skies of Iraq
earlier this month, and today we have the honor of returning him
home along with his mother, father and brother . Please join me
in making the journey comfortable for the Landaker family and
their uniformed escort. Now sit back and enjoy your ride. We're
not expecting any turbulence until we reach the Rocky Mountain
area, but we'll do what we can to ensure a smooth ride. For those
interested, you can listen in to our progress on Channel 9."
Click Channel 9: "Good morning UA 211. You are cleared to taxi,
takeoff and cleared to LAX as filed."
4 hours and 35 minutes later over Big Bear MT, the AB320 makes a
left roll, a steep bank and then one to the right-Nice touch. Nice tribute. Five minutes out from landing, the Captain comes on the speaker:
"Ladies and Gents, after landing I'm leaving the fasten seatbelt
sign on, and I ask everyone to please yield to the Landaker
family. Please remain seated until all members of the family have
departed the aircraft. Thank you for your patience. We are 20 minutes early."
On roll out, I notice red lights, emergency vehicles approaching.
We're being escorted directly to our gate, no waiting, not even a
pause. Out the left window, a dozen Marines in full dress blues.
A true class act by everyone, down to a person. Way to go United
Airlines for doing things RIGHT, Air Traffic Control for getting
the message, and to all security personnel for your display of brotherhood.
When the family departed the aircraft everyone sat silent, then I
heard a lady say,"God Bless you and your family, and thank you."
Then a somber round of applause. The Captain read a prepared note from Mrs. Landaker to the effect, "Thank you all for your patience and heartfelt concern for us and our son. We sincerely appreciate the sentiment. It's good to have Jared home."
After departing the a/c I found myself along with 30 others from
our flight looking out the lobby window back at the plane. Not a dry eye. It was one of the most emotional moments I've ever experienced.
We all stood there silently, and watched as Jared was taken by
his honor guard to an awaiting hearse. Then the motorcade slowly
made it's way off the ramp.
I realized I had finally seen the silent majority. It is deep
within us all. Black, Brown, White, Yellow, Red, Purple, we're
all children, parents, brothers, sisters, etc - we are an American family.
Official Report: February 7, 2007, Anbar Province , Iraq . 1st LT
Jared Landaker United States Marine Corps, from Big Bear
California , gave his live in service to his country. Fatally
wounded when his CH-46 helicopter was shot down by enemy fire. Jared and his crew all perished. His life was the ultimate sacrifice of a grateful military family and nation.
Semper Fi,
Roger
His death occurred at the same time as Anna Nicole Smith, a drug
using person with a 7th grade education of no pedigree who
dominated our news for two weeks while Jared became a number on
CNN. And most unfortunately, Jared's death underscores a fact
that we are a military at war, not a nation at war. It has been said that Marines are at war. America is at the mall.
Trinity +++
It has been said that Marines are at war. America is at the
mall. ."
Diary Of A Last and Final Flight Home
February 17, 2007, 0350 hours
I was at curbside at 24th and M, Washington DC . 16 Degrees with
a light breeze. Going home after my second week of freezing temps
to my warm home in SoCal. Take a walk on the beach, ride a horse,
climb a mountain and get back to living. I'm tired of the cold.
0425, paying the taxi fare at Dulles in front of the United Airlines
counter, still cold.
0450, engaged the self-serve ticker machine and it delivers my ticket, baggage tag and boarding pass. Hmmm, that Marine over there is all dressed up in his dress blues a bit early this morning...
"Good Morning Captain, you're looking sharp." He says, "Thank you, sir."
Pass Security and to my gate for a decaf coffee and 5 hours
sleep. A quick check of the flight status monitor and UA Flt 211
is on time. I'm up front, so how bad can that be? Hmmm, there's
that same Marine. He must be heading to Pendleton to see his lady
at LAX for the long weekend, all dressed up like that. Or maybe not. I dunno.
The speaker system announces "Attention in the boarding area,
we'll begin boarding in 10 minutes, we have some additional
duties to attend to this morning, but we'll have you out of here on time."
The Marine Captain has now been joined by five others. BINGO, I
get it, he's not visiting his lady, he's an official escort. I
remember doing that once, CACO duty. I still remember the names
of the victim and family, The Bruno Family in Mojave - all of
them, wows, that was 24 years ago.
On board, 0600:
"Good morning folks, this is the Captain. This morning we've been
attending to some additional duties, and I apologize for being 10
minutes late for push back, but I believe we'll be early into LAX.
This morning it is my sad pleasure to announce that 1st LT Jared
Landaker, USMC will be flying with us to his Big Bear home in
Southern California . Jared lost his life over the skies of Iraq
earlier this month, and today we have the honor of returning him
home along with his mother, father and brother . Please join me
in making the journey comfortable for the Landaker family and
their uniformed escort. Now sit back and enjoy your ride. We're
not expecting any turbulence until we reach the Rocky Mountain
area, but we'll do what we can to ensure a smooth ride. For those
interested, you can listen in to our progress on Channel 9."
Click Channel 9: "Good morning UA 211. You are cleared to taxi,
takeoff and cleared to LAX as filed."
4 hours and 35 minutes later over Big Bear MT, the AB320 makes a
left roll, a steep bank and then one to the right-Nice touch. Nice tribute. Five minutes out from landing, the Captain comes on the speaker:
"Ladies and Gents, after landing I'm leaving the fasten seatbelt
sign on, and I ask everyone to please yield to the Landaker
family. Please remain seated until all members of the family have
departed the aircraft. Thank you for your patience. We are 20 minutes early."
On roll out, I notice red lights, emergency vehicles approaching.
We're being escorted directly to our gate, no waiting, not even a
pause. Out the left window, a dozen Marines in full dress blues.
A true class act by everyone, down to a person. Way to go United
Airlines for doing things RIGHT, Air Traffic Control for getting
the message, and to all security personnel for your display of brotherhood.
When the family departed the aircraft everyone sat silent, then I
heard a lady say,"God Bless you and your family, and thank you."
Then a somber round of applause. The Captain read a prepared note from Mrs. Landaker to the effect, "Thank you all for your patience and heartfelt concern for us and our son. We sincerely appreciate the sentiment. It's good to have Jared home."
After departing the a/c I found myself along with 30 others from
our flight looking out the lobby window back at the plane. Not a dry eye. It was one of the most emotional moments I've ever experienced.
We all stood there silently, and watched as Jared was taken by
his honor guard to an awaiting hearse. Then the motorcade slowly
made it's way off the ramp.
I realized I had finally seen the silent majority. It is deep
within us all. Black, Brown, White, Yellow, Red, Purple, we're
all children, parents, brothers, sisters, etc - we are an American family.
Official Report: February 7, 2007, Anbar Province , Iraq . 1st LT
Jared Landaker United States Marine Corps, from Big Bear
California , gave his live in service to his country. Fatally
wounded when his CH-46 helicopter was shot down by enemy fire. Jared and his crew all perished. His life was the ultimate sacrifice of a grateful military family and nation.
Semper Fi,
Roger
His death occurred at the same time as Anna Nicole Smith, a drug
using person with a 7th grade education of no pedigree who
dominated our news for two weeks while Jared became a number on
CNN. And most unfortunately, Jared's death underscores a fact
that we are a military at war, not a nation at war. It has been said that Marines are at war. America is at the mall.
0
-
I agree Earl.[|)]
Trinity +++0 -
Sad but true. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by BT3
Sad but true.
All too true. Our men and women in uniform are at war, America is at the mall!0 -
Very Fine Post - God Bless 1st LT Jared Landaker and his family and God Bless all that are serving to keep our nation free. 0 -
To all my fallen brothers- and sisters-in-arms, past, preset and future: your sacrifice will never be forgotten, and your spirit will always live on in the minds, hearts, and souls of your brothers and sisters who have survived you. 0 -
Americans are doing exactly as requested by their Commander -in-Chief...right after 9/11...going to the mall and shopping.
Got a beef..? Take it up with your president.
We were asked to do nothing except send our sons and daughters off to foreign lands..and submit to intrusive privacy invasions.0
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