13 Marines returning from Afghanistan get impromptu airport welcome

AP VIA FoxNews ^ | November 06, 2013 | staff reporter

[Daffynition]

CHICAGO – A group of Marines on their way home from Afghanistan got something they didn't expect after spending the better part of five days getting on and off planes as they tried to get from one side of the globe to another: cheers from a small crowd of police, a fire truck water salute and first-class plane tickets.

The 13 Marines found themselves treated like heroes Monday night at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport after a retired Marine and others scrambled to make sure they were thanked in style before departing on the final leg of their journey to San Diego.

After their plane taxied beneath an arch of water from fire department hoses in what is called a water salute, the Marines walked into the terminal and were met by a small crowd of cheering USO volunteers, firefighters, police officers and airport workers.

A short time later, boarding another jet for San Diego, the Marines learned that American Airlines — which has a policy to upgrade servicemen and women in uniform whenever possible — had six empty seats in first class for the group. That gesture was followed by seven first-class passengers who jumped out of their seats for the other Marines so they could sit together.

[Daffynition]

Heartwarming.

[1rudeboy]

That gesture [AA's offer of six first-class seats] was followed by seven first-class passengers who jumped out of their seats for the other Marines so they could sit together.

First class, indeed. It appears that there are people in this world who deserve to fly that way.

[verga]

Something wrong with my screen it got all blurry for a couple of minutes there.

[Salgak]

Indeed. If ANYONE deserves a steak dinner on a flight home, it’s our returning troops. . .

[ken5050]

I think this was 82..military in general was still in the post-VN funk..this was BEFORE Grenada...Reagan’s changes were just starting to come on line...I’m at SFO..weekday afternoon..killing a few hours because my flight back to NY was delayed. I’m in one of the airport bars...it’s pretty empty..a few tables over, I see about 7-8 young Marines...fresh out of MCRD San Diego...you can always tell...they look so young..they still have that awestruck look on their faces..and the uniforms look like they were just unpacked..they had leave before reporting for their next assignment..they’d tried to order beers, but not one was old enough. The waitress was very apologetic..she explained that she could lose her job...so after they left the table, I walked over, said hi..somehow they could almost sense that that some 15 years earlier I’d been a freshly minted 2ndLT...they all popped up to rigid attention as I approached the table..or maybe they were still conditioned to salute anything that moved....so I told them to sit...walked over to the bar, told the waitress that I wanted 30 bottles of beer, asked her if that would cause a problem for her...she smiled, said it’d be perfectly fine..she put them all on a big tray for me..I guess technically she couldn’t serve them...I don’t know if anyone of you have ever tried to carry a tray with 30 bottles of beer on it..it was my first time...and I was lucky I made it staggering across the room without spilling them all on the ground..managed to put it on their table...gave them a salute and a Semper Fi..and went to catch my plane..I hope I made their day..they sure made mine..

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Good story.

[anoldafvet]

When I left Vietnam in 1965, I was placed on a United commercial flight out of Hickam. They upgraded me to 1st class. When I got to San Francisco, I was spit at by a hippy slut. Glad to see some things have changed.

[bikerman]

police officers?? Guess they were there looking for clenched buttocks on the Marines. Glad the Marines didnt come with their dogs. Welcome home Marines.