Mike’s Video Vault – Entire Plane Honors Fallen Soldier in Heart-Wrenching Video

A recent flight from Atlanta to L.A. started off like any other, but as passengers soon found out, it was anything but. The flight's conclusion turned solemn when those on board found out they had a fallen American soldier on board.

There was no rushing to get off the plane on this day. Instead, all the passengers hung back and let the military escorts deplane first. Then they all stood by the window to watch the salutation of the fallen soldier.

A passenger on the flight described the scene on his blog:

When the jet door opened, another military officer addressed the escort who was standing at attention. He then stepped on the plane and told us passengers “I just addressed the escort. It is a sworn oath to bring home, to the family, the fallen.” He paused and then said, “Today you all did that, you are all escorts, escorts of the heart.” And then thanked us for our time and walked off the plane.

As you can imagine, everyone was silent and no one got up, not even that person from the back row who pretends he doesn’t [understand] English so he 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.

It only got more emotional when I deplaned. There was a large number of passengers, who are normally in a hurry to get home or make a connection, standing by the window to witness something truly moving. To see the Honor Guard and family waiting patiently, while LAX baggage handlers and a military loadmaster removed the flag covered casket first from the cargo hold, was humbling to say the least. I’m not sure if it was the fallen soldier’s mother or wife who I watched slowly walk up to the coffin while a few other family members, wrapped in blankets, stood near with a dozen or so of the Honor Guards standing in salute.