Roy Knight Jr. of Texas left the United States to serve in the Vietnam War as a pilot in 1967.
His remains finally came back to Texas yesterday on a plane flown by his son. The arrival brought the entire airport to a halt.
KIII TV News reports:
Veteran’s journey: 52 years later, Southwest Airlines pilot brings home father’s remainsIt was an emotional morning at Dallas Love Field when a Vietnam War veteran’s remains were returned to Texas.In May 1967, Col. Roy Knight Jr., from Garner, Texas, served in the U.S. Air Force and was killed during the Vietnam War.The pilot was shot down while attacking a target on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, according to his obituary.For years, the Knight family wondered if he was still alive. But in 1974, Knight went from “Missing in Action” to “Killed in Action,” his obituary says.Earlier this year, Knight’s remains were identified in Laos. And on Thursday, the veteran’s journey came full circle.Knight’s son, who is a captain for Southwest Airlines, flew the airliner containing his father home to Texas.Bryan Knight was only 5 years old when he waved goodbye to his father 52 years ago from Dallas Love Field when the elder Knight left for the Vietnam War. It was the last time Bryan Knight saw his father alive.
A journalist named Jackson Proskow was at the airport when this happened, and wrote an excellent Twitter thread describing the scene:
Here’s a short video report from ABC News:
Welcome home, Colonel. Rest in peace, sir.
Featured image via YouTube.
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