B5 reader and commenter RK4 attended the funeral for GySgt Chris Eckard and sends a copy of his AAR to his command. Here is a link to the story in the paper w/ a very nice slideshow. We left at 0530 yesterday morning for Hickory, NC. We took eight techs (including myself), the rest having to remain to finish up the range clearance at TA QQ. The drive was about 3.5 hrs and we changed in Hickory at the YMCA just off I 40. When we arrived at the church the Patriot Guard were out in full force, maybe fifty of them all told. There were maybe a hundred Marines, four or six airmen, and us. I didn't see any squids but with how many people there were I may have just missed them. I know I didn't see any put their crabs on the casket. There were also a few non-EOD army and Marine NCOs, probably from the local recruiter. Gunny Eckard's two boys were dressed in tiny Marine GySgt uniforms and were adorable all day. Tiny Avery was very wiggly, like a little baby boy should be. There are pictures of both in the above photos and I have to stop looking at them or I'll never get this written. I have to keep blowing my nose. Funeral started at 1000. There were two guest books and the director made us sign both, which I guess the family wanted as they ostensibly will go to different family members. The church was absolutely packed, overflowing, people standing in the lobby and up the stairs to the balcony seating area just to be there. Apparently Gunny Eckard touched a lot of lives, and the small town really came together. I thought it was remarkable that probably 90% of the leftmost row of pews were Marines all sitting together. I wish I could have a picture taken from the balcony; it would have shown a solid mass of their black uniforms on that side. The service was very nice and, this being a Baptist ceremony, fairly short. Two hymns were sung: "How Great Thou Art" and the pianist accompanied himself to "Amazing Grace." I didn't know the name of the music being played when they took the gunny out for the procession but it was nice too. The procession was orderly and solemn and, as I often do, I swelled with pride at being from a small town myself. The ride was maybe twenty minutes, and every home, business, building, school, and workplace we passed was empty with people standing outside with their hands over their hearts. The AGR compliment from the local armory was outside saluting. The local boy scout troop (did not catch the number, sorry) was along the route at one point also. Cops, deputies, first responders and such from the entire county and probably more were guarding the route in enormous number. We probably didn't go more than a few hundred feet, out of the whole six or eight miles, without there being someone along the route. The cemetery itself was being guarded by the fire department; they'd pulled two trucks up to the entrance, extended the ladders, and there was a huge American flag flown between them. Graveside service was also short. Started at 1100 and the service itself was over in minutes. The caisson horses were a little jumpy and I was worried the pallbearers were going to get backed over but one of the handlers grabbed the horses' halters and calmed them down and it went off fine. Four flags in all were presented to the family. The Marine honor guard performed very well--best I've seen at a funeral, very crisp, no missteps, and the salute and bugling were both excellent. After the preacher finished up, the Marines started placing their crabs on the casket. There were so many of them that this ended up being the longest part of the funeral. Some guys also left cans of Skoal. The Airmen went next and we brought up the rear, although a couple old techs in civilians (one from the Patriot Guard, one older female civilian) brought their old crabs and placed them also. The last picture in the series shows the crabs on the casket. Mine and 1SG's are the ones closest to you as you're looking at the picture. We ate chow in town at an "Irish" pub (the union jack was flying inside and they didn't have guinness on tap...somewhere there's an Irishman turning over in his whiskey-soaked grave) and got on the road about 1400. Changed at a rest stop and stopped for gas. We arrived back at the shop around 1730. I know it was a long drive and little quantifiable payoff, but I'm glad we went. I was humbled by and proud of how quickly my soldiers, even my new privates, volunteered to spend their entire Friday (which is usually our civilian attire, go home early, beer with lunch day) in this way. I serve and lead the finest soldiers in the army, in the best and closest field in the military, and I rest easy knowing that if I fall there will be a line of crabs along my casket. With great warmth and respect, Gentlemen,
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Posted
Mar 07 2010, 03:40 AM
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BLACKFIVE