Returning Remains

Bill Griffith

When i saw this, I immediately recognized the cargo compartment...C-141. So it has to be relatively old. 

 

Can't say, but perhaps the soldier on the right is an escort. 

 

When we had such a mission, it was always solemn, and the load masters took every courtesy deserving. 

 

There are numerous protocols. In this instance it is in about Pallet Position (PP) 6-8, hard to tell. There is no cargo in PP 1 through 5. Because - Remains will be in the forward most PP. In the unlikely situation where cargo must be jettisoned, Remains are never jettisoned. They remain in the aircraft even if ditching. 

 

When two or more remains are palatalized, no other cargo will be in that pallet.  When palatalized, the entire pallet is not to be stood on or stepped on.  PAX will not even rest their feet on the pallet. In fact those sidewall seats adjacent to the pallet are stowed.  

 

One guy I worked with and went TDY together quite often was Dan Snow; got to know each other quite well and still friends. As a young buck airman in the late 60s - early 70s he was stationed at Travis. Worked as C-141 ramp-tramp.  (Not a crew chief, just did what he was told to do.)

 

Dan: "Bill, There were days when one or two of our 141s would return from Vietnam. And on each one every pallet and pallet position had at least three coffins. I can't imagine what it was like for y'all over there."