There are few cultures that honor their fallen quite like the military, police, and firefighters. We were sad but honored to recently be charged with taking both a Firefighter and a Marine to their final resting places.

If you’ve never been on a passenger plane carrying a fallen Marine home, you’ve probably not experienced the honors performed for the solider. Mandy, Dave, and Taelor from our staff joined Gabriel Clark’s family on the tarmac at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport to return him to his family. 

Before a Marine is taken off the plane, the pilot announces to the other passengers that they will have to wait for the soldier to disembark first. The pilot comes down to tarmac to salute the flag-draped casket that comes off the plane. Family stands alongside the towering passenger jet and six Marines in full dress march to the plane with sharp precision and carry the casket to the funeral vehicle. The active duty Marines then followed the deceased to carry him into the funeral home.

When an active duty St. Paul Firefighter passed away, groups of four firefighters in full dress came to Mueller Memorial in four-hour shifts to stand guard over their fallen brother until he was laid to rest.

On the day of his funeral, he traveled from the funeral home to the church with a tremendous escort of fire trucks three blocks long. At the church there were ladders extended to the sky to fly a billowing American flag and at the conclusion of services, his flag-draped casket was lifted by six firefighters in full dress onto the back bed of a Saint Paul fire truck.

These traditions allow fellow members of their organizations to show their honor and respect for a life sacrificed in service. They are lost but never forgotten.