Page 15 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, Sept. 1 2017

avel to the funeral. Approximately 0 miles on plane and bus to at-
2nd Lt. Charles Carlson, who g shot down.
A grave digger buries the remains of Carlson at the cemetery. Carlson’s grave is one of several thousand at the 677-acre cem- etery.
Two F-35A Lighting IIs assigned to the 62nd Fighter Squadron fly near an Arizona National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker Aug. 4. Four F-35s participated in a missing-man formation fly-over during WWII pilot 2nd Lt. Charles E. Carlson’s funeral in Pennsylvania more than 70 years after being shot down over Germany in World War II when he was assigned to the 62nd FS.
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Story and photos by Staff Sgt. JENSEN STIDHAM
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Lee decided he would take as many of his Airmen that would fit on a KC-135 Stratotanker flown by the Arizona National Guard.
twice, once when the heart stops beating and once the last time someone says a person’s name. “It’s important to keep Lt. Carlson’s legacy alive and say his name,” Lee said. “And to be there for his family to show them that this is how
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Nearly 50 Airmen assigned to the 62nd Fight- er Squadron from Luke Air Force Base attended the funeral Aug. 4 of 2nd Lt. Charles Carlson, former 62nd FS pilot, at the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Annville, Pa.
“We value people, ideas and then things,” Lee said. “I want to invest in them by letting them go to the physical place, to see with their own eyes the lengths that we will go to in order to support the families of our fallen.”
the Air Force takes care of their own.”
Several of Carlson’s family members ex- pressed their gratitude to the 62nd FS Airmen for spending the time and resources to attend
the funeral.
Carlson, then 24 years-old, was killed after his P-47 was shot down by enemy aircraft on Dec. 23, 1944, near Bonn, Germany, during World War II. More than 70 years later his remains were identified and brought home.
The 62nd FS commander, who spoke during the ceremony, said he believes that everyone dies
and brought home. the family.”
During the funeral the 62nd Fighter Squadron stood in formation while the Pennsylvania Army National Guard performed military funeral hon- ors. Carlson’s family was given all of the medals Carlson was awarded along with a folded Ameri- can flag. The 62nd FS performed a missing man formation fly-over with four F-35A Lightning IIs led by Capt. Kyle Babbitt, 62nd FS pilot.
“I feel very honored to be able to do this for him,” Babbitt said. “If it had been me on the other side, I would really appreciate this for my family. It’s definitely an honor to take on this responsibility.”
The 62nd FS Airmen would not have been able to travel the more than 2,000 miles to make the fly-over happen had it not been for an early morning social media browse by Lt. Col. Peter Lee, 62nd FS commander.
“I was killing some time and looked at my Facebook feed and I saw my [squadron] patch,” Lee said. “I was like, ‘Oh, it must be one of my co-workers.’ I clicked on the link and that’s how I found out. It started with something as simple
Four F-35A Lighting IIs assigned to the 62nd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base per- form the missing man formation over the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Annville, Penn. The 62nd FS attended the funeral of former 62nd FS pilot 2nd Lt. Charles Carlson who died after being shot down over Germany in World War II.
in Annville, Penn. Ap- as a Facebook post ... and next thing you know 24 years-old, was killed we’re flying four airplanes over and talking with
Thunderbolt September 2017 15
http://www.luke.af.mil
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