A flying story.
When I was an Air Force C-141 pilot based in Northern California, we flew a lot of missions that involved “island hopping.” Flying from one to another of the many US military installations around the Pacific. Really good flying, lots of fun, and this was all pre-GPS.
On one particular trip, I was tasked with flying the body of a WWII veteran who fought in the Battle of Kwajalein. He told his family when he returned from the war that when he died, he wanted to be buried on Kwajalein.
A member of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the US Navy has hosted a naval base on Kwajalein Island since World War II. During the Battle of Kwajalein, US Marines took the island from Japan and has had a presence there ever since. Today, it is part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, with various radars, tracking cameras, and support systems spread across many islands.
The gentleman in the back of my jet was returning to his glory.
That night, my crew and I “crew rested” (laid over) and grabbed a bite to eat at their dining facility. After dinner, a couple of us grabbed beers and headed to the ocean. It was a glorious night. Gentle warm ocean breezes, flags flapping in the wind, and the stars were incredible. Absolutely spectacular. I sat on a concrete pillar and stared at an almost full moon, an occasional shooting star, sucking on a beer.
I thought about the Marine I’d brought with me. I thought about the battles that must’ve been fought right where I was sitting. And I thought about the man’s service and what it must’ve meant to him. To be so committed to a time and a place, that he told his family his plans more than 50 years ago.
I was so humbled that we’d been blessed with the opportunity to bring him “home.” I love America! ❤️🇺🇸