Veterans get warm welcome in Atlanta~Chicago

[yellowwing]

Passengers Give Troops First-Class Seats (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=718&e=6&u=/ap/20040715/ap_on_re_us/first_class_soldiers)
Thu Jul 15,10:01 AM ET
Associate Press DALLAS - Eight soldiers flying home from Iraq for two weeks of R&R flew in style instead of coach after first-class passengers offered to swap seats with them.

"The soldiers were very, very happy, and the whole aircraft had a different feeling," flight attendant Lorrie Gammon told The Dallas Morning News in Thursday's editions.

The June 29 seat-swap on American Airlines Flight 866 from Atlanta to Chicago started before boarding, when a businessman approached one of the soldiers and traded his seat.

When the swapping was done, "the other two first-class passengers wanted to give up their seats, too, but they couldn't find any more soldiers," Gammon said.

Another flight attendant, Candi Spradlin, said she was impressed with the acts of good will.

"If nothing else, those soldiers got a great homecoming," she said.

[thedrifter]

Stories like this are far to few...........

Thanks


Ellie

[MillRatUSMC]

Made my day!
Thanks for sharing...

<MARQUEE BEHAVIOR=scroll DIRECTION=left LOOP=infinite>The meaning of professionalism: P-People, R-Responsibility, O-Objective, F-Focus, E-Expectations, S-Standards, S-Safety, I- Integrity, O-Obligation, N-Knowledge, A-Accountability, L-Leadership, I-Inspire, S-Simplicity, M-Mission</MARQUEE>

http://www.geocities.com/millrat_99/cmem.html
My new and improved site on the Community Veterans Memorial.

"The saddest part of the job that I have undertaken is that the armed services by their nature, represent the last resort,
when rational solutions to the country's problems have failed."
~ Lt. Cmdr. Harry Mossman US Navy ~
Remains recover in 1992 and indentified recently.

"A man or woman is measured
by the footprint,
he or she leaves behind".

"They were the best you had, America,
and you turned your back on them".
~ Joe Galloway ~ Speaking about Vietnam Veterans

Semper Fidelis/Semper Fi
Ricardo

[Super Dave]

Here is a picture taken on the plane...
http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v283/USMCDave/0715met_flight.jpg

[yellowwing]

Dang it! Great picture, I chuckled so hard, I just dropped my cigarrette into my coffee :banana:

[Sparrowhawk]

Passengers give troops first-class seats
By MICHAEL E. YOUNG
The Dallas Morning News


It all began with a chance encounter at an airport, a glance, an offer, a quiet chat.

What's your seat number, soldier?

It's 23-B, sir, the soldier told the businessman.

No, son, that's my seat. Yours is in first-class.

As more soldiers boarded, similar offers quickly came from the other first-class passengers.

And eight soldiers heading home from Iraq for two weeks of R&R found themselves with their officers in the big seats up front instead of the center seats in coach.

That spontaneous act of good will transformed American Airlines Flight 866, from Atlanta to Chicago, on June 29.

"The soldiers were very, very happy, and the whole aircraft had a different feeling," said Lorrie Gammon, one of the Dallas-based flight attendants working the trip.

"There were 14 seats in first class, and there were 12 soldiers there. The other two first-class passengers wanted to give up their seats, too, but they couldn't find any more soldiers."

Flight attendant Candi Spradlin of Conway, Ark., said she was impressed with how passengers treated the soldiers.

"If nothing else, those soldiers got a great homecoming," she said.

The soldiers were so surprised they barely knew what to do, said Ms. Gammon, who lives in Frisco, Texas.

"They were so humble and thankful – they spent the whole flight saying thank you," she said.

"But we should have been saying thank you to them for what they're doing for us."



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