Rows of coffins

Posted by lakshmi on April 20, 2004 @ 10:49AM

April has been the bloodiest month for U.S. troops in Iraq: 94 soldiers have died so far. While the White House shows little regard for the rising casualty count, their families can at least take heart in the care and devotion of the military and civilian crews who send the bodies of these men and women home to their loved ones:

"The aluminum boxes, in ordered rows, are bound by clean white straps on freshly scrubbed pallets. American flags are draped evenly over the boxes. Uniformed honor guards form on either side of the pallets as they move from the tarmac to the entryways of the cargo planes. There are prayers, salutes and hands on hearts. Then the caskets are carefully placed in cargo holds for a flight to Germany."

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