A Most Remarkable Landing

Many who have worn the uniform have days or events that will never be forgotten and one of the most memorable days I experienced while wearing the uniform was the day I had the privilege to meet SGM Jon R. Cavaiani. SGM Cavaiani was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Vietnam on 4 & 5 June of 1971 (Full details of MoH Citation).

Meeting SGM Cavaiani was an event all its own but the story of how my unit and my family had the opportunity to meet him is one of those stories that I always love to share. I was tasked with coordinating a ceremony bidding farewell to one leader and welcoming another and the guidance I received was to make sure that it was good and memorable….. And that’s what we did.

My family and I were stationed in Alameda, CA and there is a significant amount of history there and one of those being the storied Naval Aircraft Carrier the USS Hornet. The USS Hornet had been docked in Alameda and opened to the public as a museum in order to share the legacy of those who served and supported many pivotal historical events. The Hornet stamped out a legacy dealing devastating blows in the Pacific during WWII, supporting operations during the Vietnam war and recovering Apollo 11 Astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Mike Collins on July 24th 1969 just to name a few of the carrier’s achievements. 

After touring the deck and looking out over the San Francisco bay we knew that we had found the location for the ceremony. We wanted to make sure the rendering of honors during the National Anthem was memorable and knew just how to make that happen. I had recently met some Veterans with the Vietnam Helicopters Museum out of Concord, CA and asked if they would do a flyover during the National Anthem with the American flag draped from the open door of the aircraft. They kindly obliged and it was an unforgettable scene as the blades chopped the bay air and the 25th Infantry patch that adorned the nose of the aircraft became visible. The Huey flew by and “Old Glory” waved as we rendered honors.

We asked the museum staff for permission to land the Huey on the deck of the Hornet but due to safety considerations it was not possible. Before the Huey and crew departed I got a call from the aircraft asking if they could touch down on or near the Hornet and again, we were denied the opportunity. With some quick thinking, the pilot found an open field close to the museum where it was safe to land and let us know that they would be on deck momentarily. 

Everything up to this point was quite memorable but what happened next was surreal. The crew of the Huey had a special guest aboard the aircraft. When the crew made it on deck they introduced us to SGM Cavaiani and at that moment time stood still and you could have heard a pin drop. We had the opportunity to spend the afternoon hearing SGM Cavaiani’s story as he spent time with the Soldiers and their family members on the deck of the Hornet making memories that would never fade.

Once the Huey was airborne and we began to depart the Hornet, my commander pulled me aside and said this was quite a departure from good and memorable. We both agreed that due to the kindness and grace that SGM Cavaiani shared with fellow Soldiers and family members it truly was. Everything that preceded his arrival was simply a prelude to a truly remarkable landing. He took the time to interact with everyone on the deck of the Hornet that afternoon and thanked the spouses and children of the Soldiers who were present demonstrating his gratitude for their support for their Soldiers. 

Thank you Sir! See you on the high ground!

Cover photo credit: https://www.vietnamhelicopters.org/uh-1h-huey/#!enviragallery571-610