Showing posts with label memorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label memorial. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL 7 7 2009 STAPLES CENTER I WAS REALLY THERE !!!!
MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL 7 7 2009 STAPLES CENTER I WAS REALLY THERE !!!!
Yes, I won a golden ticket!
I was there....It was crazy.....It felt historical.
It was a genuinely reverent and heartfelt event. I will definitely never forget it. I got to be a part of pop culture history.
Available link for download
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Memorial Day Special
Memorial Day Special
#memorialday #blog #avgeek #airline
COMEMORATING MEMORIAL DAY...
NEVER FORGET
Dear fellow #AvGeek,
A reminder that next week is Blogging in Formation week — a post every day from your favorite #aviation bloggers! Next weeks theme: "My Most Memorable Flight." My post, THE SKY FELL, will post Wednesday, June 5.
If you havent already done so, I encourage you to read the First in our series, "How I Was Brought to Flying," already posted! Here are the links:
Hotlinks to sites:
05.06.13 iFLYblog - Brent Owens (Intro Post)
05.07.13 Flight to Success - Karlene Petitt
05.08.13 Adventures of Cap’n Aux - Eric Auxier
05.09.13 House of Rapp - Ron Rapp
05.10.13 Airplanista - Dan Pimentel
05.11.13 Smart Flight Training - Andrew Hartley
05.12.13 iFLYblog - Brent Owens
And now . . . .
Ladies and Gentlemen, in honor of our Nations Fallen, may I humbly present an Encore Presentation of one of my most popular blog posts ever...
FLYING A FALLEN HERO
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| Missing Man Formation. |
Recently I experienced one of the greatest—and most heart-rending—honors a modern airline pilot can have: Captaining a flight that is transporting a fallen soldier to his final resting place.
Escorting the hero was a military honor guard consisting of two of the soldier’s comrades, and two young Marines. Also onboard were the man’s father and a lovely, devastated young woman—girlfriend? Wife? Sister? I never found out. I never learned the soldiers name, either. Or his rank. Or how or where he died.
But it didnt matter. Because, like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, he was ours. He was us.
Coming on the heels, as it was, of the Aurora movie theatre tragedy, this flight was particularly poignant for all passengers and crew as well.
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| Comrades and Honor Guard salute the Fallen... |
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| ...and then crisply march away... |
As soon as our preflight duties were finished, I ordered the gate agents to allow the party onboard. They were escorted down to the ramp, where they presided over a short ceremony as the casket was loaded into the forward cargo hold. Simple, precise and crisp, the military detail saluted the casket then made a sharp about face to march away, reminding me of the Missing Man Formation often flown by jet fighters.*
For six hours as we crossed the country, I contemplated my speech. As Captain of the flight, I was expected to say a few words upon arrival. At Top of Descent, I took a deep breath and keyed the PA:
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| The Missing Man pulls out of formation... |
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. I’d like you to pay special attention to this announcement. (pause) Today we have the great, great honor of escorting one of our fallen soldiers to his final resting place.
“Also on board, you may have noticed, is a military honor guard as well as family and loved ones of the deceased. I would like to personally request that, upon arriving at the gate, out of respect for our fallen hero, you remain seated as the party deplanes to meet their loved one planeside.”
“Also on board, you may have noticed, is a military honor guard as well as family and loved ones of the deceased. I would like to personally request that, upon arriving at the gate, out of respect for our fallen hero, you remain seated as the party deplanes to meet their loved one planeside.”
And for his loved ones, I saved the best for last.
“And to those of you worried about connections, I would like to say that we are arriving thirty minutes early. That is because Air Traffic Control, aware of our status as an escort flight, cleared us ‘Direct to Destination’, in honor of our precious cargo. (deep breath, trying desperately not to choke up) Ladies and Gentlemen, in my 30-plus years of flying, I have never witnessed such a gesture.”
It was true. Despite pushing back from a major hub airport during rush hour, Ground Control cleared us straight to the runway, Tower immediately cleared us for takeoff, and Center direct to his final resting place.
It was my leg. I am proud to say that, in honor of the fallen, I was able to make one of my smoothest-ever “greaser” landings, and rolled quietly down and off the runway to the gate.
The entire cabin was quiet and still as the solemn party proceeded off the plane. I emerged from the cockpit just in time for the father to say to me, with tears in his eyes, a quiet, “Thank you.”
“It was an honor,” I replied. “Take care, sir.”
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| God paints a gorgeous sunset to welcome the Fallen to his final resting place. |
The party had another brief ceremony planeside as the coffin was loaded onto a specially-painted black tug and cart and driven off-airport.
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| Crew and Passengers mood: somber and reflective... |
Needless to say, the mood among the crew was somber and reflective. That was, until a small girl, no more than 4, marched up to the cockpit and loudly proclaimed, “Hi, pilots! My name’s Gwennie! But really my name’s Gwendolyn!” Our hearts melted, putty in her charming little hands.
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| ...And then a little passengers innocent joy breaks the somber mood... |
And then it hit me. That little girl. So full of joy. Of innocence. Of life. That’s why our hero had sacrificed his.
And it was not in vain.
"To fly West, my friend, is a flight we must all take for a final check."—Author Unknown**
I did not have the honor of serving my country like my father, brother and nephew. It is to them—and to our Fallen Hero and his loved ones—that I dedicate this piece.
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DID YOU LIKE THIS POST?
If so, I invite you to COMMENT, SHARE, TWEET, LIKE, EMAIL &/or +1 below!
Its right after "Capn Aux links and just before the next post.
It looks like this:
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*For more info on military escorts, see:http://usmilitary.about.com/od/deploymentsconflicts/a/remains.htm
For more info on the Missing Man Formation, see:
http://www.oldglorytraditions.com/missingmanhistory.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_man_formation
Missing Man formation flown by Huey helicopters (traditional for Viet Nam Vets); Missing Man peels off at 1:56 mark. Thank you Allen:
HueyMissingMan
HueyMissingMan
A recent story by Jet Johnny Jet about escorting a fallen soldier: http://foxnewsinsider.com/2013/11/03/passengers-honor-fallen-soldier-delta-flight
While doing research, I also stumbled upon a wonderful Captain’s blog, now defunct, with a strikingly similar story:
While doing research, I also stumbled upon a wonderful Captain’s blog, now defunct, with a strikingly similar story:
CaptainsLog
Air Traffic Controller Alex shared this beautiful story from the "other side of the mic":
A Controllers Story
A Controllers Story
**Related poem:
Flying West
A wonderful music video found by Miss TWA (misstwa.blogspot.com):
Travelin Soldier
"Mysterious Dancing Lights of Afghanistan"—an incredible phenomena, story and tribute the fallen! http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/07/30/206946740/mysterious-dancing-lights-in-afghanistan
Hotlink to original post (no changes, other than comments that were made): http://capnaux.blogspot.com/2012/07/interlude-flying-fallen-hero.html
"Launch my career or die?
What the F*&%$ did I just get myself into?"
Read more »
If you know me at all, youll remember me talking of a memorial garden that displays any and all servicemens flags for the Memorial Day Weekend. And I told you that when BOTH of the boys were in Scouts, we would begin participating in the removal of the flags on Memorial Day. Yesterday, there were 2,379 flags flown in memory of fallen servicemen. Some dating back to WWI, others as recent as Desert Storm.
This is last years picture. They knew I was taking it.
And this is this years picture. They had no clue that I took this one until I had them printed at Wal-mart after the ceremonies.
Here they are actually folding a flag. The flags being flown for the first time are folded military style, while all others are folded laundry style. Volunteers at the garden launder, repair and store the flags for next year.
Read more »
"Mysterious Dancing Lights of Afghanistan"—an incredible phenomena, story and tribute the fallen! http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/07/30/206946740/mysterious-dancing-lights-in-afghanistan
Hotlink to original post (no changes, other than comments that were made): http://capnaux.blogspot.com/2012/07/interlude-flying-fallen-hero.html
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Posts all week beginning Tuesday, June 4
This months theme: "My Most Memorable Flight"
Next up:
Blogging in Formation Week!Posts all week beginning Tuesday, June 4
This months theme: "My Most Memorable Flight"
Capn Aux post: Wednesday, June 5 @ 8am
THE SKY FELL
"Launch my career or die?
What the F*&%$ did I just get myself into?"
Hotlinks to sites:
06.04.13 Flight to Success - Karlene Petitt
06.05.13 Adventures of Cap’n Aux - Eric Auxier
06.06.13 House of Rapp - Ron Rapp
06.07.13 Airplanista - Dan Pimentel
06.08.13 Smart Flight Training - Andrew Hartley
06.09.13 iFLYblog - Brent Owens
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Posting June 15 @ 8:00 PHX:
A Special Fathers Day VLOG & Essay
"Of Dreams, Dared and Dashed, and Death"
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Posting June 26 @ 11:00 PHX:
A Special Fathers Day VLOG & Essay
"Of Dreams, Dared and Dashed, and Death"
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Posting June 26 @ 11:00 PHX:
"Around
Read more »
Available link for download
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Memorial Weekend
Memorial Weekend
We have had quite the exciting weekend.
Tuesday night during our family photo shoot, Mackenzie broke her elbow.
She was running and just tripped and fell the wrong way.
Poor baby definitely inherited my clumsy gene :(
Then on Wednesday we went to see an orthopedic surgeon (they werent sure if she would need surgery but for now it looks like she wont) and got a hot pink cast.
And then super early on Thursday morning we left for Zion and Bryce Canyon.
It was a great vacation!
Utah is so beautiful!
Cant wait to show you all the pics and fun we had (post coming soon).
How was your holiday weekend?
Available link for download
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Memorial Day one day late
Memorial Day one day late
If you know me at all, youll remember me talking of a memorial garden that displays any and all servicemens flags for the Memorial Day Weekend. And I told you that when BOTH of the boys were in Scouts, we would begin participating in the removal of the flags on Memorial Day. Yesterday, there were 2,379 flags flown in memory of fallen servicemen. Some dating back to WWI, others as recent as Desert Storm.
This is last years picture. They knew I was taking it.
And this is this years picture. They had no clue that I took this one until I had them printed at Wal-mart after the ceremonies.
Here they are actually folding a flag. The flags being flown for the first time are folded military style, while all others are folded laundry style. Volunteers at the garden launder, repair and store the flags for next year.Available link for download
Thursday, February 16, 2017
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