A Soldier Returns Home

KPrice · Post by **KPrice** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 3:29 pm

I know this is off topic, but I wanted to share an experience with you all. I was in Los Angeles this week for business and I caught the red eye home Thursday night. I got to the airport around 10 pm and was heading to my gate area when I saw a crowd gathering around the windows looking out so I went over to take a look. As I walked up to the window, I saw a Marine honor guard getting out of a shuttle van and then I saw a group of people gathered around a hearse and a limo. I watched as the honor guard marched slowly toward the cargo hold of the jet to receive the coffin of their fallen comrade. At this point I started to feel very uncomfortable, as it just didn't seem right for all of us outsiders to be watching this scene. But as I looked around I could see that the crowd at the windows was growing larger and you could have heard a pin drop. None of us knew the soldier or the family, but there were tears shed nonetheless. These people from all walks of life and all over the world were paying their respects to a young man or woman who had given it all for something they believed in. From where they were gathered by the limo, the family could see us standing there by the windows and I hope they took no offense because this was not the act of a crowd of rubberneckers at a car wreck. This was a gathering of people who were, at least for the moment, feeling their pain to some degree.

blunder · Post by **blunder** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 5:39 pm

Thank you for that Kip

tom

Gary A · Post by **Gary A** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 8:25 pm

Thanks for sharing.

Beagle Bum · Post by **Beagle Bum** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:17 am

As a Retired Vet with 28 years service to our country and two tours in Vietnam, I have been on both sides of the window. I am most appreciative of the way our troops are being treated during the current conflict - for this I wish to Thank Everyone who was paying their respects at that window.

Thanks,

p.s. Sure is a lot different from the receptions we got!

DAVIDC · Post by **DAVIDC** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:55 pm

I can tell you first hand this is not a uncommon thing. I'm in the honor guard for the Amy here in Kansas, and Missouri. We have a soldier come in at least once a month, and there's always a crowd gathered. Just last month we had a WW2 vet come in from Japan. He had been missing in action. His wife,and daughter who was born shortly after his deployment, were both still living.