Memorial Day - The Ramp Ceremony

**ChiefK** · 05-28-2016, 05:12 PM

What are you doing for Memorial Day?
When I was overseas, far too often a message would be delivered across the post for a "ramp ceremony". It would be held in the middle of the night, on a secluded part of the runway. Large gatherings of Soldiers was a prime target for the bad guys, but this was the only exception.
At a designated time, the somber gathering included Soldiers from all different nations...Romania, Italy, Germany, Australia, USA......without direction they would form up into a tight military formation.
A speaker would tell us for whom the ramp ceremony was being held for. We would hear the Soldier's name, his home town, his family, his job, his hobbies.....
The National Anthem would play and the flag-draped casket would be carried before us, and brought up the ramp of the airplane that was taking him "home".
When the ramp would close and the plane started to taxi, all the Soldiers would quietly walk away. This ceremony was done way too many times.
To me, that's what Memorial Day is. It is an annual Ramp Ceremony to honor our fallen brothers and sisters in arms.
Bless them all.

Chief

05-28-2016, 05:12 PM	#1
ChiefK Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 225	Memorial Day - The Ramp Ceremony What are you doing for Memorial Day? When I was overseas, far too often a message would be delivered across the post for a "ramp ceremony". It would be held in the middle of the night, on a secluded part of the runway. Large gatherings of Soldiers was a prime target for the bad guys, but this was the only exception. At a designated time, the somber gathering included Soldiers from all different nations...Romania, Italy, Germany, Australia, USA......without direction they would form up into a tight military formation. A speaker would tell us for whom the ramp ceremony was being held for. We would hear the Soldier's name, his home town, his family, his job, his hobbies..... The National Anthem would play and the flag-draped casket would be carried before us, and brought up the ramp of the airplane that was taking him "home". When the ramp would close and the plane started to taxi, all the Soldiers would quietly walk away. This ceremony was done way too many times. To me, that's what Memorial Day is. It is an annual Ramp Ceremony to honor our fallen brothers and sisters in arms. Bless them all. Chief __________________ Chief VBA # 02181 VROC# 35322 '01 Vulcan Nomad 1500 Fi '05 Yamaha V Star Classic 1100 Login or Register to Remove Ads Last edited by ChiefK; 05-28-2016 at 05:15 PM.
	0