Marcus arrived at the Harley dealer early and was greeted
by Ride Captain Max Howerter even before he could take his shades off.
The rest of us soon rolled in, too.
The dealer contributed iced tea and lemonade which was
thoughtful because it would be a hot day.
Walters Brothers
Harley offered their facility for us to stage. We would then move as a group the short
distance to the gate of the 182nd
Airlift Wing that President Obama had used 18 weeks ago. As the body of SSG Paul Smith would be
carried across that same tarmac, the PGRiders and the airmen would be there to
show support for the family. Then
PGRiders and family would escort our fallen hero to the funeral home for a
same-day visitation and a funeral the next day.
Max explained all that to us. Marcus, his shades back on, listened
carefully.
We had all been listed by name and with other information
on forms the Air Force required. Those
names were: Gary, Mary,
His partner checked every saddle bag.
Illinois SRC Terry Hicks brought a truck-load of
flags. So Terry was in charge of the
flags and the Master Sergeant was in charge of the base, but Max was in charge
of the mission.
One of the many things I find refreshing about the PGR is
the innate understanding of authority.
Everyone accepts decisions that are made and conforms selflessly without
debate. This is another manifestation of
respect – not for the decision, but for the decision-maker. I find it in no other arena of my life. Many people never do, but six years old is
not too young to learn about respect.
So we stood in our line and faced into the sun as the
temperature rose above 90.
“But wouldn’t Marcus have more fun if he were playing in a
park with other little boys?”
Yes, of course he would.
We weren’t there for fun. We were
there for something better.
There were quiet conversations as we waited. The SFC wears six rows of ribbons. Debbie wears a button with the image of Paul
Smith.
And then the jet came into sight on the runway just after
touchdown.
We waited in silence.
Paul’s jet taxied over to us and stopped.
The casket was removed from the jet and carried to the
hearse. Airmen and PGRiders in
turn: “Present arms!” “Present arms!”
And then we left to escort our fallen hero across the river
from
The reason I stopped was to record these two on the
The impact they had on me reminded me of the impact we
have on others.
We surrounded the hearse at the door of the funeral home
as Paul was carried inside. The
visitation would begin in four hours.
I had seen ASC Gary Schrock at the airport but he was
busy. He goes by the handle Cowboy. I caught up with him at the funeral home.
Mark Breyan walked past us as he was leaving but then he
turned around and looked back. He wanted
one last view before he returned to
My hotel was back across the river and I used I-74 to
cross again. I then went down to river’s
edge and looked back on a scene I don’t often have a chance to see. The funeral home is located just beyond the
far end of the I-74 bridge as shown here.
I traveled only a few more blocks before I stopped for the
last photo of this sad Friday.
Saturday morning, I packed-up and returned to the funeral
home. SRC Hicks and ASC Schrock were
waiting.
Our friends from Westboro had taken a permit, so everyone
was alert.
In fact, the protestors did
put in a brief appearance but the police and the Patriot Guard acted to render
them unnoticed and irrelevant.
The funeral service was conducted within the funeral home
and followed by cremation, so there would be no escort. Our remaining mission was simply to stand at
the door as the guests entered for the private service and to be there again
when they emerged. The rifle salute and
the rendering of Taps would take
place in the garage of the funeral home with the interior garage door open so
that they could be heard.
The temperature was again in the 90s and most of us were
dressed lightly. The army was dressed
for a funeral.
No one saw these guys, but they stood ready and waited for
an hour. When the interior door was
opened they would execute three volleys and then Taps. And then they would
leave. Except for these photos, no one
would have known if they were dressed like PGRiders.
But they weren’t.
The rifle detail was dressed in the class-A army greens and the bugler was
dressed in the new class-A army blues.
I was reminded of the movie Taking Chance and knew of the great care that is taken for all our
fallen. Inside the closed casket Paul
was wearing a specially tailored class-A uniform, just like these soldiers. In a short time, he would be cremated in
them.
I’ve written before that I think we should choose to be
seen, when there is a choice to be made.
I still think that is true. But I
have also said, “We don’t show
respect unless we are seen.” I now think I was wrong about that.
Paul didn’t die in an industrial accident or a car
crash. All human life is sacred and each
loss is regrettable, but Paul volunteered his sacred life in service to a
cause. His family knew his
deadly-dangerous work was justified by the great cause he served. The choice he and his family made years ago
and the sacrifice he and his family made a week ago demand our respect.
So we show it, even if no one is looking.
Back at the main entrance at the opposite end of the
building from the garage, Cowboy had our group standing at attention for the
rifle salute. He knew that Taps would
immediately follow and that it required our salute. But he couldn’t hear it.
So he called out “Present arms!” and then played it in his
mind. When he finished, he waited a few
more seconds and than called out, “Order arms!”
So for those 45 seconds we saluted an idea in
silence. The vets pulled their index
finger to their eyebrows; the rest of us placed our hands over our hearts. The mourners were inside the building and the
army was behind the building. No one was
looking for those 45 seconds.
And then they came out.
A dove was released as Governor Quinn looked on.
General Celletti went down our flagline again, and led
others.
The Governor had left, and soon the family and the guests
left too.
Annette rolled her flag and returned to
63 miles into my 200 mile return trip I found the Great
War (WWI) memorial in Ladd. “…by their
sacrifice, world liberty abides.”
The plaque was fixed at the foot of this guy.
…who reminded me of this guy.
And then I noticed the smaller text at the bottom of the
plaque: “Civilization owes them a
perpetual debt.”
A few miles farther along I passed an A-10.
I saw many pleasant
“…by their sacrifice, world liberty abides.
Civilization owes them a perpetual debt.”
Friday: Staging
at the Harley dealership – 66 photos
Meeting the jet
transport – 116 photos
Escort and visitation – 46 photos
Saturday: Before the service – 60 photos
After
the service – 68
photos
back to ALL MISSIONS