Father of soldier killed in Afghanistan says plane passengers booed family
Sgt. John Perry, 30, was killed in a suicide attack at Bagram Airfield on Saturday, along with Pfc. Tyler Iubelt and two American contractors. Photo source: U.S. Army.
The father of an Army soldier killed in Afghanistan says he and his family were booed as they flew to meet his son’s body coming home.
Sgt. John Perry, 30, was killed in a suicide attack at Bagram Airfield on Saturday, along with Pfc. Tyler Iubelt and two American contractors. Stewart Perry told KOVR-TV his son stopped the suicide bomber short of his target and may have saved hundreds of lives.
Perry told the Army Times the booing took place on an American Airlines flight that landed in Phoenix Monday. Perry and his family were flying from Sacramento to Dover Air Force Base.
The captain told everyone to remain seated to let the Perry family leave first to make their connection.
“When he made that announcement, there was some hissing and some booing behind us,” Perry told the Army Times.
The pilot took that action because the American Airlines flight was delayed about 45 minutes, according to the Army Times, and the family was running out of time to make the connection.
Perry, a Marine veteran, said he doesn't remember the captain telling the passengers why they were to remain seated - only that the captian mentioned 'miliary personnel'.
“I believe that the passengers knew there was a Gold Star family on board,” he told the Army Times. “The woman sitting directly behind us touched me on the shoulder and asked if I was the father of the soldier killed in Afghanistan.”
For that reason, Perry believes some kind of annoucement was made before he and his family sat down.
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