A fallen soldier was on a Delta flight on Thursday, and passengers were honored to hear that they were on the same plane as the soldier.
The pilot told passengers over the PA system about 45 minutes prior to landing that the plane was transporting the soldier.
Everyone was told to wait several minutes after landing so that the military escort could get off first, a passenger wrote on the travel blog Johnny Jet. Los Angeles fire trucks greeted the plane with a water canon salute.
A military officer came onto the plane before the passengers disembarked and thanked them.
“I just addressed the escort. It is a sworn oath to bring home, to the family, the fallen,“ he said. ”Today you all did that, you are all escorts, escorts of the heart.”
The passenger wrote: “As you can imagine, everyone was silent, no one got up, not even that person from the back row who pretends they don’t speak English so they can be first off the plane. I’m sure most had meteor-sized lumps in their throats and tears in their eyes like I did.”
Further, after the passengers did get off the plane, many stood by the window to see the Honor Guard and family remove the flag covered casket, and see a woman--the soldier’s mother or wife--who walked up to the casket and put her hand on it.
“As soon as I saw her reach out to put her hand on her baby’s casket, I walked away,” the passenger wrote. “This ordinary flight became extraordinary and is one that I will never forget.”
The passenger added: “Thank you to all the military who protect our beautiful country and let us live the lives we are able to lead. Without you we would be nothing. And thank you to the Honor Guard for making sure these fallen soldiers, warriors and heroes are not treated like just any piece of luggage as they used to, but rather with the care and respect they so rightly deserve.”
