Viral Twitter thread tells story of pilot’s body returned home from Vietnam War

A Twitter thread that went viral Thursday tells the story of an American pilot’s body being returned home this week from Vietnam after his plane was shot down in 1967.

Jackson Proskow, Washington bureau chief for Canada’s Global News, tweeted that he was at an airport in Dallas, traveling home to Washington, D.C., when he saw that “something incredible is happening.”

I’m at the airport in Dallas, waiting for my flight home to DC from El Paso, and something incredible is happening.

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

{mosads}Proskow incoming flight’s was carrying the remains of Col. Roy Knight, whose body was only recently recovered and identified, according to Proskow.

Dallas was Knight’s home, and he reportedly left his 5-year-old son in the city when he was deployed. That son grew up to become a pilot of his own with Southwest Airlines, and he flew the plane back to Dallas to bring his father’s remains home.  

Our incoming plane is carrying the remains of an American pilot shot down over Vietnam in 1967. His remains were only recently recovered and identified and brought back to the US.

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

Today the pilot of the plane bringing Capt. Knight back to Dallas is his son.

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

The airport employees announced the story over the intercom and handed out American flags to travelers waiting at the gate, Proskow said.

The entire terminal has come to watch this arrival. pic.twitter.com/HW3yAHEXBf

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

Proskow also shared an obituary for Knight online.

Knight was born in 1931, the sixth of seven sons and one daughter. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after his 17th birthday, following in the footsteps of his older brothers, who all served on World War II, according to the obituary.

pic.twitter.com/Qwh4RbCypX

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

Incredible moment to watch. The entire airport fell silent. pic.twitter.com/TGp1X736R7

— Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 8, 2019

Dan Landson, a Southwest spokesperson, said the company was “honored to support” bringing Col. Knight’s remains back to the U.S. 

“Our Southwest Airlines family is honored to support his long-hoped homecoming and join in tribute to Col. Knight as well as every other military hero who has paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the armed forces,” Landson said. 

Updated at 9:43 a.m.