Vietnamese-born, AMERICAN Patriot!

  

 

Sharing an email from 

Bruce Klein 

Thanks so much

 

The kneeling NFL players and obnoxious Hollywood celebs should read this --or have someone read it to them!

 

VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANT -- Well Done.  The difference between legal and illegal.  This is something everyone in America should read…. It looks like we did some good after all!

 

On Saturday, July 24th, 2010, the town of Prescott Valley, AZ, hosted a Freedom Rally.  Quang Nguyen was asked to speak on his experience of coming to America and what it means.  He spoke the following in dedication to all Vietnam Veterans.  Thought you might enjoy hearing what he had to say: 

 

Start Quote:

 

"35 years ago, if you were to tell me that I am going to stand up here speaking to a couple thousand patriots, in English, I'd laugh at you.  Man, every morning I wake up thanking God for putting me and my family in the greatest country on earth.  I just want you all to know that the American dream does exist and I am living the American dream.  I was asked to speak to you about my experience as a first generation Vietnamese-American, but I'd rather speak to you as an American.

 

If you hadn’t noticed, I am not white, and I feel pretty comfortable with my people.  I am a proud US citizen and here is my proof.  It took me 8 years to get it, waiting in endless lines, but I got it, and I am very proud of it.

 

I still remember the images of the Tet offensive in 1968; I was six years old.  Now you might want to question how a 6-year-old boy could remember anything.  Trust me, those images can never be erased.  I can't even imagine what it was like for young American soldiers, 10,000 miles away from home, fighting on my behalf.

 

35 years ago, I left South Vietnam for political asylum.  The war had ended.  At the age of 13, I left with the understanding that I may or may not ever get to see my siblings or parents again.  I was one of the first lucky 100,000 Vietnamese allowed to come to the US.  Somehow, my family and I were reunited 5 months later, amazingly, in California.  It was a miracle from God.

 

If you haven't heard lately that this is the greatest country on earth, I am telling you that right now.  It was the freedom and the opportunities presented to me that put me here with all of you tonight.  I also remember the barriers that I had to overcome every step of the way.  My high school counselor told me that I cannot make it to college due to my poor communication skills.  I proved him wrong.  I finished college.  You see, all you have to do is to give this little boy an opportunity and encourage him to take and run with it.  Well, I took the opportunity and here I am.

 

This person standing tonight in front of you could not exist under a socialist/communist environment.  By the way, if you think socialism is the way to go, I am sure many people here will chip in to get you a one-way ticket out of here.  And if you didn't know, the only difference between socialism and communism is an AK-47 aimed at your head.  That was my experience.

 

In 1982, I stood with a thousand new immigrants, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and listening to the National Anthem for the first time as an American.  To this day, I can't remember anything sweeter and more patriotic than that moment in my life.

 

Fast forwarding, somehow, I finished high school, finished college, and like any other goofball 21-year-old kid, I was having a great time with my life.  I had a nice job and a nice apartment in Southern California.  In some way and somehow, I had forgotten how I got here and why I was here.

 

One day I was at a gas station, I saw a veteran pumping gas on the other side of the island.  I don't know what made me do it, but I walked over and asked if he had served in Vietnam.  He smiled and said yes.  I shook and held his hand.  This grown man's eyes began to well up.  I walked away as fast as I could and at that very moment, I was emotionally rocked.  This was a profound moment in my life.  I knew something had to change in my life.  It was time for me to learn how to be a good citizen.  It was time for me to give back.

 

You see, America is not just a place on the map, it isn't just a physical location.  It is an ideal, a concept.  And if you are an American, you must understand the concept, you must accept this concept, and most importantly, you have to fight and defend this concept.  This is about Freedom and not free stuff.  And that is why I am standing up here

 

Brothers and sisters, to be a real American, the very least you must do is to learn English and understand it well.  In my humble opinion, you cannot be a faithful patriotic citizen if you can't speak the language of the country you live in.  Take this document of 46 pages - last I looked on the Internet, there wasn't a Vietnamese translation of the U.S. Constitution.  It took me a long time to get to the point of being able to converse and until this day, I still struggle to come up with the right words. It's not easy, but if it's too easy, it's not worth doing

 

Before I knew this 46-page document, I learned of the 500,000 Americans who fought for this little boy.  I learned of the 58,000 names inscribed on the black wall at the Vietnam Memorial.  You are my heroes.  You are my founders.

 

At this time, I would like to ask all the Vietnam veterans to please stand.  I thank you for my life.  I thank you for your sacrifices, and I thank you for giving me the freedom and liberty I have today.  I now ask all veterans, firefighters, and police officers, to please stand.  On behalf of all first-generation immigrants, I thank you for your services and may God bless you all."

 

Quang Nguyen

Creative Director/Founder

Caddis Advertising, LLC

"God Bless America"

“One Flag, One Language, One Nation Under God”

 

 

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.

 

For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

 

 

Please Forward this to all your friends and ask them to forward.  Interesting when we have illegals here in the U.S. waving Mexican and other country flags.  Cry Baby NFL players not respecting our flag and national anthem.  Others rioting and looting and saying how terrible America is.  Time for true Americans to wake up at what is going on.  Time for our Washington D.C. swamp to be drained and some true Americans that love and understand to take charge.

Most Destructive Americans

Not verified but interesting

---

RECEIVED FROM FRIEND

10 most destructive Americans of the last 80 years.

By Frank Hawkins

 US Army Retired Intelligence Office

America has undergone enormous change during the nearly eight decades of my life.

Today, America is a bitterly divided, poorly educated, and morally fragile society with so-called mainstream politicians pushing cynical identity politics, socialism, and open borders.  The president of the United States has been threatened with impeachment because the other side doesn’t like him.  The once reasonably unbiased American media has evolved into a hysterical left wing mob. 

How could the stable and reasonably cohesive America of the 1950s have reached this point in just one lifetime?  Who are the main culprits?  Here’s my list of the 10 most destructive Americans of the last 80 years. 

10) Mark Felt – Deputy director of the FBI, aka “Deep Throat” during the Watergate scandal.  This was the first public instance of a senior FBI official directly interfering in America’s political affairs.  He was the forerunner of James Comey, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, and Andrew McCabe.

9) Bill Ayers – Represents the deep and ongoing leftist ideological damage to our education system.  An unrepentant American terrorist who evaded punishment, he devoted his career to radicalizing American education and pushing leftist causes.  Ghost wrote Obama’s book, “Dreams From My Father.” 

8) Teddy Kennedy – Most folks remember Teddy as the guy who left Mary Joe Kopechne to die in his car at Chappaquiddick.  The real damage came after he avoided punishment for her death and became a major Democrat force in the US Senate, pushing through transformative liberal policies in health care and education.  The real damage was the 1965 Hart-Cellar immigration bill he pushed hard for that changed the quota system to increase the flow of third world people without skills into the US and essentially ended large-scale immigration from Europe.

7) Walter Cronkite – Cronkite was a much beloved network anchor who began the politicization of America’s news media with his infamous broadcast from Vietnam that described the Tet Offensive as a major victory for the Communists and significantly turned the gullible American public against the Vietnam War.  In fact, the Tet offensive was a military disaster for the NVA and Viet Cong, later admitted by North Vietnamese military leaders.  Decades later Cronkite admitted he got the story wrong.  But it was too late.  The damage was done.

 6) Bill and Hillary Clinton- It’s difficult to separate Team Clinton.  Bill’s presidency was largely benign as he was a relative fiscal conservative who rode the remaining benefits of the Reagan era.  But his sexual exploits badly stained the Oval Office and negatively affected America’s perception of the presidency.  In exchange for financial support, he facilitated the transfer of sensitive military technology to the Chinese.  Hillary, a Saul Alinsky acolyte, is one of the most vicious politicians of my lifetime, covering up Bill’s sexual assaults by harassing and insulting the exploited women and peddling influence around the globe in exchange for funds for the corrupt Clinton Foundation.  She signed off on the sale of 20% of the US uranium reserve to the Russians after Bill received a $500,000 speaking fee in Moscow and the foundation (which supported the Clinton’s regal lifestyle) received hundreds of millions of dollars from those who benefited from the deal.  Between them, they killed any honor that might have existed in the dark halls of DC.

5) Valerie Jarrett - The Rasputin of the Obama administration.  A Red Diaper baby, her father, maternal grandfather and father-in-law (Vernon Jarrett who was a close friend and ally of Obama mentor Frank Marshall Davis) were hardcore Communists under investigation by the U.S. government.  She has been in Obama’s ear for his entire political career pushing a strong anti-American, Islamist, anti-Israeli, socialist/communist, cling-to-power agenda.

 4) Jimmy Carter - Carter ignited modern day radical Islam by abandoning the Shah and paving the way for Ayatollah Khomeini to take power in Tehran.  Iran subsequently became the main state sponsor and promoter of international Islamic terrorism.  When Islamists took over our embassy in Tehran, Carter was too weak to effectively respond thus strengthening the rule of the radical Islamic mullahs.

3) Lyndon Johnson – Johnson turned the Vietnam conflict into a major war for America.  It could have ended early if he had listened to the generals instead of automaker Robert McNamara  The ultimate result was:

A) 58,000 American military deaths and collaterally tens of thousands of American lives damaged; and

B) a war that badly divided America and created left wing groups that evaded the draft and eventually gained control of our education system.

Even worse, his so-called War on Poverty led to the destruction of American black families with a significant escalation of welfare and policies designed to keep poor families dependent on the government (and voting Democrat) for their well-being.  He deliberately created a racial holocaust that is still burning today.  A strong case could be made for putting him at the top of this list.

2) Barack Hussein Obama- Obama set up America for a final defeat and stealth conversion from a free market society to socialism/communism.  As we get deeper into the Trump presidency, we learn more each day about how Obama politicized and compromised key government agencies, most prominently the FBI, the CIA and the IRS, thus thoroughly shaking the public’s confidence in the federal government to be fair and unbiased in its activities.  He significantly set back race and other relations between Americans by stoking black grievances and pushing radical identity politics.  Obama’s open support for the Iranian mullahs and his apologetic “lead from behind” foreign policy seriously weakened America abroad.  His blatant attempt to interfere in Israel’s election trying to unseat Netanyahu is one of the most shameful things ever done by an American president.

The Number 1 Worst American is John Kerry – Some readers will likely say Kerry does not deserve to be number one on this list.  I have him here because I regard him as the most despicable American who ever lived.  After his three faked Purple Hearts during his cowardly service in Vietnam, he was able to leave the US Navy early.  As a reserve naval officer and in clear violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, he traveled to Paris and met privately with the NVA and the Viet Cong.  He returned to the United States parroting the Soviet party line about the war and testified before Congress comparing American soldiers to the hordes of Genghis Khan.  It was a clear case of treason, giving aid and comfort to the enemy in a time of war.  We got a second bite of the bitter Kerry apple when as Obama’s secretary of state, he fell into bed with the Iranian (“Death to America”) mullahs giving them the ultimate green light to develop nuclear weapons along with billions of dollars that further supported their terrorist activities.  Only the heroic Swift Vets saved us from a Manchurian Candidate Kerry presidency.  Ultimately we got Obama.

 Dishonorable Mentions!   (Just missed the list)

John Brennan   – Obama’s CIA director who once voted for Communist Gus Hall for president.  A key member of the Deep State who severely politicized the CIA.  Called President Trump treasonous for meeting with the president of Russia.

Jane Fonda   – movie actress who made the infamous trip to Vietnam during the war in support of the Communists. She represents hard left Hollywood that has done so much damage to our culture.

 Jimmy Hendrix and Janice Joplin   – Both revered entertainers helped usher in the prevailing drug culture and personally suffered the consequences.  Karma’s a bitch.

Robert Johnson   – As head of BET helped popularize ho’s, bitches and pimps while making millions on great hits such as “Jigga my Nigga”, “Big Pimpin’”, “Niggas in Paris” and “Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.”  Many scholars within the African American community maintain that BET perpetuates and justifies racism by adopting the stereotypes held about African Americans, affecting the psyche of young viewers through the bombardment of negative images of African-Americans Who can disagree?

Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr.   – Head of the New York Times.  Once the gold standard of American journalism, the paper always had a liberal tilt and occasionally made bad mistakes.  As the years have gone along, the paper has slid further and further left and today is virtually the primary propaganda arm of the increasingly radical Democrat Party.  Still retains influence in Washington and New York.

Frank Marshall Davis   - Anti-white, black Bolshevik, card-carrying Soviet agent.  Probable birth father and admitted primary mentor of young Barack Hussein Obama.

Special Reward goes to George Soros   – Jewish former Nazi collaborator in his native Hungary who as a self-made billionaire has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into left wing groups and causes.  The damage he has caused is difficult to measure, but it’s certainly large.  He has funded much of the effort to kill the Trump presidency.

Addendum 

It is gratifying to see that Mr. Hawkins, who is in a far more informed position than me, independently agrees that Jimmy Carter was a seriously destructive force against America’s best interests.

Personally, I could move Carter closer to the top of the Most Destructive Americans list, at least above Lyndon Johnson, on the premise that the former peanut farmer turned president, through his flawed decision to unleash Khoemeini and his plan for Islamic Jihad resulted in more total mayhem, death, and destruction on a world-wide basis that continues to this day  But on balance, LBJ directly caused the deaths of some 58,000 people in his utter mismanagement of the Vietnam War  Counting American deaths from terrorist attacks (think 9/11) and war deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan still doesn’t add up to 58,000.  So, Mr. Hawkins is entitled to is opinion, which is limited to the adverse impact solely upon Americans, not the whole world. 

I hope that you observed that most names on this list are either prominent DEMOCRATS or allied with them. 

Vote wisely in November.

Take a knee

Source: Facebook re-posted this morning 12/11/2019

Joe B. Rogers

July 30, 2018

Take a knee...

I don't think I've ever read anything more powerful than this piece.

It was written by Ted Nugent

Take a little trip to Valley Forge in January. Hold a musket ball in your Fingers and imagine it piercing your flesh and breaking a bone or two.

There won't be a doctor or trainer to assist you until after the battle, so Just wait your turn. Take your cleats and socks off to get a real Experience.

Then, take a knee on the beach in Normandy where man after American man Stormed the beach, even as the one in front of him was shot to pieces, the Very sea stained with American blood. The only blockers most had were the Dead bodies in front of them, riddled with bullets from enemy fire.

Take a knee in the sweat soaked jungles of Vietnam. From Khe Sanh to Saigon, anywhere will do. Americans died in all those jungles. There was no Playbook that told them what was next, but they knew what flag they Represented. When they came home, they were protested as well, and spit on For reasons only cowards know.

Take another knee in the blood drenched sands of Fallujah in 110-degree Heat. Wear your Kevlar helmet and battle dress. Your number won't be Printed on it unless your number is up! You'll need to stay hydrated but There won't be anyone to squirt Gatorade into your mouth. You're on your Own.

There are a lot of places to take a knee where Americans have given their Lives all over the world. When you use the banner under which they fought as a source for your displeasure, you dishonor the memories of those who
Bled for the very freedoms you have. That's what the red stripes mean. It Represents the blood of those who spilled a sea of it defending your Liberty.

While you're on your knee, pray for those that came before you, not on a Manicured lawn striped and printed with numbers to announce every inch of Ground taken, but on nameless hills and bloodied beaches and sweltering
Forests and bitter cold mountains, every inch marked by an American life Lost serving that flag you protest.

No cheerleaders, no announcers, no coaches, no fans, just American men and Women, delivering the real fight against those who chose to harm us, blazing a path so you would have the right to "take a knee." You haven't Any inkling of what it took to get you where you are, but your "protest" is
Duly noted. Not only is it disgraceful to a nation of real heroes, it Serves the purpose of pointing to your ingratitude for those who chose to Defend you under that banner that will still wave long after your jersey is Retired.

If you really feel the need to take a knee, come with me to church on Sunday and we'll both kneel before Almighty God. We'll thank Him for Preserving this country for as long as He has. We'll beg forgiveness for our Ingratitude for all He has provided us. We'll appeal to Him for Understanding and wisdom. We'll pray for liberty and justice for all, Because He is the one who provides those things. But there will be no Protest. There will only be gratitude for His provision and a plea for His Continued grace and mercy on the land of the free and the home of the Brave.

It goes like this, GOD BLESS AMERICA

EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO KNOW IN LIFE ...

Greetings

Thanks to these guys we didn't have to walk as much in Vietnam.  The downside is Helicopters got you to the action too fast, but got you out to hopefully fight again another day.

EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO KNOW IN LIFE WE LEARNED AS A HELICOPTER PILOT IN VIETNAM

• Once you are in the fight, it is way too late to wonder if this is a good idea.
• It is a fact that helicopter tail rotors are instinctively drawn toward trees, stumps, rocks, etc. While it may be possible to ward off this natural event some of the time, it cannot, despite the best efforts of the crew, always be prevented. It's just what they do.
• NEVER get into a fight without more ammunition than the other guy.
• The engine RPM and the rotor RPM must BOTH be kept in the GREEN. Failure to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew.
• Cover your Buddy, so he can be around to cover for you.
• Decisions made by someone above you in the chain-of-command will seldom be in your best interest.
• The terms Protective Armor and Helicopter are mutually exclusive.
• Sometimes, being good and lucky still is not enough.
• "Chicken Plates" are not something you order in a restaurant
• If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, you're about to be surprised.
• Loud, sudden noises in a helicopter WILL get your undivided attention.
• The BSR (Bang Stare Red) Theory states that the louder the sudden bang in the helicopter, the quicker your eyes will be drawn to the gauges. The longer you stare at the gauges the less time it takes them to move from green to red.
• No matter what you do, the bullet with your name on it will get you. So, too, can the ones addressed "To Whom It May Concern".
• If the rear echelon troops are really happy, the front line troops probably do not have what they need.
• If you are wearing body armor, they will probably miss that part.
• Happiness is a belt-fed weapon.
• Having all your body parts intact and functioning at the end of the day beats the alternative.
• If you are allergic to lead, it is best to avoid a war zone.
• It is a bad thing to run out of airspeed, altitude, and ideas all at the same time.
• Hot garrison chow is better than hot C-rations which, in turn, is better than cold C-rations which, in turn, is better than no food at all. All of these, however, are preferable to cold rice balls, even if they do have the little pieces of fish in them.
• Everybody's a hero ... on the ground ... in the club ... after the fourth drink.
• A free fire zone has nothing to do with economics.
• The further you fly into the mountains, the louder the strange engine noises become.
• Medals are OK, but having your body and all your friends in one piece at the end of the day is better.
• Being shot hurts.
• "Pucker Factor" is the formal name of the equation that states the more hairy the situation is, the more of the seat cushion will be sucked up your ass. It can be expressed in its mathematical formula of S (suction) + H (height) above ground) + I (interest in staying alive) + T (# of tracers coming your way)
• Thus the term 'SHIT!' can also be used to denote a situation where high Pucker Factor is being encountered.
• Thousands of Vietnam Veterans earned medals for bravery every day. A few were even awarded.
• Running out of pedal, fore or aft cyclic, or collective are all bad ideas.  Any combination of these can be deadly.
• There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the rules.
• C-4 can make a dull day fun.
• There is no such thing as a fair fight-only one where you win or lose.
• If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. If you lose you don’t care.
• Nobody cares what you did yesterday or what you are going to do tomorrow.  What is important is what you are doing-NOW-to solve our problem.
• Always make sure someone has a P-38. Uh, that's a can opener for those of you who aren't military.
• Prayer may not help . . . but it can't hurt.
• Flying is better than walking. Walking is better than running. Running is better than crawling. All of these, however, are better than extraction by Medevac, even if it is technically, a form of flying.
• If everyone does not come home, none of the rest of us can ever fully come home either.
• Do not fear the enemy, for your enemy can only take your life. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR.
• A grunt is the true reason for the existence of the helicopter. Every helicopter flying in Vietnam had one real purpose: To help the grunt. It is unfortunate that many helicopters never had the opportunity to fulfill their one true mission in life, simply because someone forgot this fact.

If you have not been there and done that you probably will not understand most of these.

Thank you.

K-9 Veteran's

By Diane Forrest

Dogs have bled, suffered, and died while serving in all our wars, to include this war on terror, and they have done so in ways that do us all proud. Dogs were there in the trenches of France in WW I, and the slopes of Iwo Jima in WW II, and though many were pure breeds, some others were mixed breeds, and our troops didn’t care either way. They were simply grateful to have one, and they treated them with respect as a fellow soldier. Of course dogs also served with honor in Korea, and Vietnam, and wherever our Country has called them to serve. And unlike other so called weapons, dogs served not to take a life, but to save them.

It was reported that there was a dog along with the SEAL team on the Osama Bin Ladin Attack.  The dog, reportedly trained to sniff out explosives, is believed to have nosed around the compound, looking for explosives and booby-traps. Had bin Laden been hiding in a secret room, the dog could have been used to sniff him out. He could also have chased anyone fleeing the compound. 

Military sources say it was most likely a German shepherd or a Belgian Maligns, another type of large shepherd. Both breeds, the two most commonly used by the military, can run about twice as fast as a human, and, according to a military fact sheet, "have the best overall combination of keen sense of smell, endurance, speed, strength, courage, intelligence and adaptability to almost any climatic condition." That said, Labrador retrievers are also becoming increasingly popular; they're used to check the safety of a route by wandering ahead of a patrol.

The Pentagon currently employs some 2,700 dogs, up from 1,800 before the September 11 terrorist attacks. About 600 of those dogs are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.  They are no longer listed as equipment, and some that are killed in action are even awarded medals and buried with full military honors. March 13, 1942 is the official birthday of the United States K9 Corps, and so it seems only right to annually honor their service on that date. They served to save, and they deserve to be remembered.  

Today is K-9 Veteran's Day, for ways you can help promote this occasion, visit this website: http://k9veteransday.org/ 

(All images from Google) 

Veterans Day 2012

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest

My grandfather, Victor Henry Carteret seen in this  picture with me, was a lifelong military man.  He served in World War ll and Korea, had a box full of medals that he never told anyone about, and never spoke about his time in the wars.  You will find that most Veterans are the same.  They give their lives protecting our country.  Some come home, some are injured, and some never make it home.  But most of them would do it all again because of their selfless pride in the United States. Our country owes them a debt of gratitude that we can never repay.  Saying thank you just doesn't seem to be enough.   While Veteran's day honors all who serve, and Memorial Day honors those who died, I recently received this in an email, and thought I would share it with you.

Today is Veteran's Day.  I hope that you will say thank you to the Veteran's you know, email or send a card thanking them for their sacrifices, and let them know how much they mean to you and our country.

(Google Image) 

Letter from an airline pilot: He writes:  

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.  

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 pre-flight 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 the soldier we are carrying, is on board', she said. She 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 flight 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 outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her.  

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 the 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 the 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 the family only. 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 place 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 co-pilot 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. His 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.  

When 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 was 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 them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

(Google Image) 

Thank you Diane - The Boss