Chapter 316

After my fun with the senior Customs official, we all were treated to a coming home dinner in one of the large meeting rooms at the airport – catered by the Morton Field restaurant. All the hi-dollar tables were covered by silk table cloths stacked with the best foods they could serve. I was seated at the head the head table with the girls minus Ching Lee. Mom, Dad, Jake, Mindy, Vance, and his wife, Josh and his girl friend, Bob and Linda Jackson finished out the table. Other tables were seated with the rest of the pilots and college security personnel.

Tonight there was no talk of the upcoming events of tomorrow, it was about the new plane, the Jackson's trip and Vance's ribbing me on the after effects of my first takeoff as copilot. The other pilots joined in the good hearted ribbing about how they would be able to take naps in flight now when I was on board to fly the plane. Vicky did not escape the banter by Josh either.

When we finally got home, as late as it was we hugged and expressed intimacy as we normally did and called it a night. Vicky, joined lorry and Marcy in Marcy's king sized bed and I was finally able to hold Jenny in my arms all night. With all the time changes and day and night changes, I still managed to get up on the right side of daylight. I helped Jenny with a soapy fun filled shower she loved the hot water running on her back as I gave it a generous cleaning with her favorite soap. My first decision of the day was how to dress for today's solemn task.

Was it to be a business suit or the dress blues? Albert Koons had served 15 years in the army - a soldier's soldier. There were no blemishes on his military record. Upon his discharge, he continued serving his country by working at our countries Embassies overseas. The dress blues it was; Marcy could represent the company. I would stand with the rest of the JBG honor guard. He was military and we would honor him that way.

Because it was cold and windy and even colder in Lancaster layers were called for; panty hose covered with long johns were a must.

As to the JBG honor guard details, thirty five in-all answered my request for former military with dress uniforms in order to give Albert and Phil the honor they deserved and had responded to Cindy.

I had to give it to the girls and to Jason; they had put together all the logistics to make it happen for me. The last of the thirty five had been picked up at BWI at 8 PM last night. They all had rooms ready for them at the Holiday East Motel on the island.

The Holiday East motel loved us even with the corporate discount they were gave us. They even provided us the direct line to the courtesy van phone for faster pickups and were sending Marcy the number of rooms available each day in an e-mail, if we needed their help.

Our former country ride vans picked up all 35 at the motel and brought them and their baggage to the Morton Field restaurant for breakfast. After breakfast we loaded our baggage into the 200s cargo hold.

We had plenty of time so I called a meeting in room 2. I laid out the events for today and tomorrow as best I knew from combining the information from several e-mails I had received this week.

Then I answered questions about the e-mail that Cindy had sent out about the rapid response team and the 100 new embassy positions. The hazard pay was attracting interest.

After the meeting I gave the pilots the packets containing all the information that they would need to land at Dover AFB. It had the radio frequencies and the transponder numbers and the authorization code. At 9 we boarded the planes for the 30 minute flight.

General McJames' e-mail confirmed that we had the necessary approval to land both planes at Dover AFB. That the coffins with Albert Koons and Phil Adams remains would be ready for transport at 10AM. The job of the C130 was to carry the remains of Albert Koons to the Lancaster Airport. From there a hearse from Groffs Family Funeral Home will take possession of the casket and deliver it to the funeral home, then carry it to the church.

As for Phil Adams, a hearse from the Smith's Funeral Home will transport him to their funeral home and then to the VA cemetery for the service.

The C130 was to carry the body and the 200 to carry the girls and the 35 honor guard plus a few people from the office who wanted to participate.

At Dover, the Air Force was going to furnish Military personnel to transfer the caskets - they said it was procedure - after the transfer, the JBG honor guards would carry out that duty.

As an afterthought, just to tweak Hanna - I had sent her a text that JBG was receiving possession of the bodies of our fallen comrades at Dover at 10 AM.