Spitting on Soldiers
[Gold Star family of slain Calif. soldier booed on
flight MSN Stockton, CA] "The father of a soldier who was killed last weekend in
Afghanistan was disappointed and hurt after airline passengers booed him and his
family as they flew to meet his son's remains.
Stewart Perry, an ex-Marine who lives in Stockton,
said the ordeal left him feeling disrespected.
"It was really disgusting on the passengers' part," he
said Friday.
His son, Sgt. John Perry, was one of two killed in an
explosion at a United States airbase on Nov. 12. He was honored at a memorial
service in Lodi on Thursday and will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
John Perry, 30, and Pfc. Tyler R. Iubelt of Tamaroa,
Illinois, died from their injuries after the attack by an apparent suicide
bomber at the Bagram Airfield at about 5:30 a.m. local time.
The Department of Defense said this week that the
blast also took the lives of two U.S. contractors working on the base. Sixteen
other U.S. service members and one Polish soldier participating in a NATO
mission were wounded.
Perry was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Sustainment Brigade, 1st Cavalry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He was at the base supporting Operation Freedom's
Sentinel.
An avid runner, he had been preparing to participate
in a 5K run at the base in northeast Afghanistan as part of a post-Veterans Day
activity to benefit disabled veterans.
Stewart Perry said he, his wife, Kathy, and daughter
were flying on an American Airlines flight from Sacramento on Monday to
Philadelphia, with a quick transfer in Phoenix. From Philadelphia, they traveled
to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to receive his son's remains.
For unknown reasons, Perry said, the flight to Phoenix
was 45 minutes late. The crew feared the delay might cause the Perrys miss their
connecting flight.
So, when the plane landed in Phoenix, the captain made
an announcement for all passengers to remain seated and to let a "special
military family" exit the aircraft first, Perry said.
Several passengers in first class began to boo and
complain, Perry said.
"Some people were saying 'This is just baloney,' and
'I paid for first-class for this?...'" Full text:
Gold Star family of slain Calif. soldier booed on flight
Eccl 10:2,
Jn 10:10