Base Honor Guard performs military honors at Yeager memorial

The Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Honor Guard performed military honors at last week’s “Celebration of Life” service for retired Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager.

The memorial took place Jan. 15 at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center in West Virginia and featured several VIPs, including then-Vice President Mike Pence. Yeager was an Air Force flying ace and test pilot who in 1947 became the first in history confirmed to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight.

“Having the opportunity to command a team of exceptional Airmen and provide the last military honors for such an esteemed icon of the Air Force was vastly humbling,” said 2nd Lt. Brennan Moore, a ceremonial guardsman and officer in charge. “From preparation to performance, our goal was to commemorate the legacy of Brigadier General Chuck Yeager to the best of our abilities, and I believe our team did just that.”

The Wright-Patt detachment is the largest installation Honor Guard in the Air Force, providing military honors to over 3,700 veterans, retirees and active-duty personnel a year, said Master Sgt. Gregory Linker, Wright-Patterson AFB Honor Guard superintendent.

The Honor Guard performed multiple functions for Yeager’s service.

It provided a rifle cordon at Yeager Airport for the vice president’s arrival and then during the service at Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center, where it started by posting the colors.

This was followed by a flag-folding ceremony, 21-gun salute by a seven-member rifle team and presentation of the folded American flag to Victoria Yeager, the late general’s widow. WPAFB guardsmen then furled Yeager’s one-star flag.

“The final honors that the Honor Guard provides are congressionally mandated with no room for error,” Linker said. “We provide that last farewell to our fallen teammates, and that importance can’t even be measured. We help bring that final piece of closure for the family and loved ones during funeral services.”

Honor Guard members train constantly so they are prepared to perform honors at a moment’s notice, he added. Besides the flag furling and rifle cordon, all functions performed are movements the guardsmen regularly implement.

For Yeager’s “Celebration of Life” service, the Honor Guard did multiple walk-throughs, both in its training hangar at WPAFB and in Charleston to ensure the team’s movements were precise.

Ceremonial guardsmen will travel roughly 17,000 miles and perform 80 to 100 events during their six-month rotation to the unit. Linker said these committed individuals put in hard work and dedication to honor veterans, retirees and active-duty members.

Guardsmen involved

2nd Lt. Brennan Moore, HQ AFMC

2nd Lt. Jacob Nixon, 88 FSS

2nd Lt. Olivia Durrence, NASIC

Master Sgt. Victor Walker, 445th Airlift Wing

Staff Sgt. Gabriel Clark, 445 AW

Staff Sgt. Rodney Petrie, 88 FSS

Staff Sgt. Sean Chapman, 445 AW

Senior Airman Adam Aljabi, 88 SFS

Senior Airman Daniel Clark, 88 MDG

Senior Airman Jacob Keller, 88 MDG

Senior Airman Tucker Cavender, 88 MDG