Pfc. Charles E. Bush, Jr.’s Last Ride Home

December 19, 2013

Today is the 10 year anniversary of the death of a fellow soldier, Army Private Charles E. Bush Jr. of Buffalo, New York.  Private Bush, another in a long line of American heroes who died in Iraq on behalf of a grateful nation.  I was tasked with the honor of escorting Private Bush’s body home to Buffalo, New York, and delivering his remains to his family.  To make a long story short, when I arrived in Dover, Delaware I was to take official custody of the body.  As I sat in the lobby of the mortuary at Dover Air Force Base, I felt a sense of sorrow and sadness for his family.  After receiving my briefing from the mortuary affairs officer they loaded the casket into the military transport van, I and PfC. Bush’s body were driven by an Air Force Tech Sgt. to the Philadelphia airport to catch Private Bush’s last flight home.  When we arrived at the airport tarmac, I could look up into the bay windows and see 60-70 civilians looking down at the tarmac at me in my Class A Army uniform standing beside PFC. Bush’s casket draped in the American flag.  Several baggage handlers came over to me and asked me where did I want the casket placed.  I told them to put Private Bush up front.  They carefully loaded his body onto the plane and I then turned to proceed into the terminal.  As I ascended the flight of stairs outside the terminal, a young flight attendant opened the door for me and said to me “Sir, we’re honored to transport Private Bush home.  You’ll be the first passenger loaded onto the aircraft.”  She then removed the velvet rope and as I walked through the terminal, I could see some of the people visibly shaken; they had never seen the casket of a fallen soldier in war time.  As I walked down the long tunnel to the door of the plane, I thought that this was one duty that I never wanted to do again.  As I entered the plane, the Captain stood at the entrance and said “Major Washington, it is our honor have you aboard and to transport Private Bush home.”   I was seated on the plane and as the other passengers filed in, some stopped and shook their head at me, some wiped tears; the plane was completely silent.  The Captain came over the intercom and announced that we had the body of a fallen soldier being transported home.  It was a solemn moment, one of many in my life.  About midway through the flight a young child walked up the aisle and approached me; he appeared to be about seven or eight years old.  He said eight words to me then turned and ran back to his seat to the open arms of his mother about five rows back.  Those eight words were “I want to thank you for your service.”  As I looked back and saw the child jump into his mother’s lap I thought to myself that those are the words that should be uttered to the men and women like PfC Charles Bush Jr. who are willing to give all.  PfC Charles Bush Jr. was killed in action by an IED, an improvised explosive device.  He was and is a true American hero, like many before him and after him.  As the plane touched down at the Buffalo airport, it was about two in the morning, a cold, wet, rainy night. As I disembarked onto the tarmac several airport security personnel and baggage handlers met me there to unload Private Bush’s body.  We sat in a hangar, and as I looked outside, I saw numerous members of the Buffalo media; from TV stations to newspaper reporters.  There were several Buffalo police department personnel as well as an Honor Guard.  It was a sight to see on a cold, wet, rainy night with the temperature hovering around 15-20 degrees.  The police were going to provide an escort for Private Bush’s body to a funeral home somewhere on the other side of town.  By this time my Class A uniform was soaked from standing in the rain, but I felt a sense of pride from seeing the citizens from all walks of life gathered to honor Private Bush and of how proud they were of Private Bush’s service.  A Buffalo police officer asked me to ride with him as we escorted the hearse to the other side of town.  And all along the route, in the middle of the night, there were citizens standing outside for miles and miles, standing in the cold, wet night at 2 a.m. paying homage to Private Bush.  I’d never been to Buffalo in my life, but I do know this, the people of Buffalo honor their military men and women.  When we arrived at the funeral home it had to be nearly 3 a.m. and there were crowds of citizens gathered outside the funeral home who had waited in the rain and cold just to greet his body for the last time; from ten year old kids to eighty year old senior citizens.  So I salute Buffalo and its citizens.  It doesn’t seem like it was ten years ago, but time flies.  I salute Private First Class Charles E. Bush, Jr. and I too thank him for his service.