Processional

Coming Home: Brent Witham returns to San Bernardino with full honors

Brent was taken from the mortuary in Missoula, Montana to the Aerial Fire Depot where his Forest Service comrades escorted him aboard a Forest Service Sherpa aircraft, which flew him to the San Bernardino air tanker base. He was met there by his family, his crew, leadership from the San Bernardino National Forest and representatives of many other agencies wishing to honor him. He was then taken to the Montecito Memorial Park & Cemetery in a processional that stretched nearly a mile long with more than 50 vehicles participating.

Behind the hearse were members of his family, friends, the Vista Grande Hotshot crew, and many, many firefighting engines and emergency vehicles representing numerous agencies from surrounding cities and counties.  At several locations along the route, agency personnel and members of the community gathered along the route to pay special tribute; there was an especially large contingent of uniformed personnel and engines in front of the San Bernardino National Forest Headquarters.

As the procession reached the entrance to the Montecito Memorial Park & Cemetary, it passed under a large United States flag suspended high in the air by two fire department ladder trucks. Firefighters saluted their brother, Brent, as the motorcade entered the gates of the park.



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