Bishop - Geiger flown in to hero's welcome

With family, friends, neighbors and community members looking on, the U.S. Army Honor Guard escorts the body of Corporal Wayne from a plane to a waiting hearse at the Eastern Sierra Regional Airport Friday. Geiger was killed Oct. 18 in Iraq. His funeral services are today in Lone Pine. Photo by Mike Gervais

10-27-2007

The murmurings of the large crowd standing on the tarmac of the Bishop airport were stilled into complete silence when the airplane set down on the runway.

All faces turned toward the craft and hands clutched American flags a little tighter as Inyo County prepared to welcome home its fallen warrior, U.S. Army Corporal Wayne M. Geiger. The 23-year-old from Lone Pine was killed in action in Iraq on Oct. 18, the first soldier from Inyo County to pay the ultimate price for freedom in the war in Iraq. On Friday, he came home to a tearful, hero’s welcome at the Bishop airport.
The plane pulled up in front of the long line of mourners, with its wing tip just a few yards away from the grieving family, which stood proud through the tears that could not be held back.

The family of Corporal Wayne Geiger was deeply moved as the honor guard that carried his body back to Inyo County soil Friday offers its final salute to the Lone Pine soldier recently killed in action in Iraq. Photo by Jon Klusmire

The flag-draped coffin was escorted with crisp efficiency by a six-man platoon. The keen of a bagpipe cut through the Sierra, and as the young soldier’s body was carefully moved to the hearse, the crowd also stopped trying to hold back tears for a brave man whose life had been cut tragically short.
The area’s law enforcement community turned out to share a comrade’s pain. Inyo County sheriff’s deputies stood ramrod straight as they watched the son of two of their own, Lt. Randy Geiger and Civil Officer Kim Geiger, come home to his family.
Today, residents from across the county will be able to pay their respects to the young soldier by pausing to observe the motorcade carrying Geiger home to Lone Pine as it passes through their community. The motorcade will leave Bishop at 9:50 a.m., arrive in Big Pine at approximately 10:15 a.m., pass through Independence at about 10:45 a.m. and arrive in Lone Pine at 11 a.m.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 11 a.m. in the Lone Pine High School Gym. Those attending are asked to arrive by 10 a.m. so everyone can be seated when the ceremony starts. A graveside service will follow at the Mt. Whitney Cemetery in Lone Pine.
Afterward, a reception will be held at Statham Hall in Lone Pine.
(Note: condolences and remembrances can be sent to the Geiger family at a guest book online at http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/states/ca/lone-pine.)