Bhagyasree Sengupta

'Grace and Mercy': US President Joe Biden Pays Respect to Fallen Soldiers Arriving Home From Jordan

Days after three US troops were killed in a strike in Jordan, US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden joined the grieving families at the Dover Air Force Base on Friday.

Source: AP

The American Commander-in-Chief witnessed the dignified arrival of the mortal remains of the fallen soldiers on US soil.

Source: AP

With the right hand over his heart, Biden looked on as the caskets of the three fallen soldiers draped with American flags were carried out of a C-5 Galaxy military transport aircraft.

Source: AP

The sombre ceremony was also attended by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin who was seen standing next to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown and Marine Corp. Sgt. Maj. Troy E, Black.

Source: AP

The 3 cases held the remains of Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, Sgt. Breonna Moffett of Savannah & Sgt. Kennedy Sanders. The deaths were the first US fatalities amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

Source: AP

Apart from the military commands, the only words spoken during the 15-minute ceremony were from an Air Force chaplain’s brief prayer, asking God for “grace and mercy.”

Source: AP

Shortly before the dignified transfer, the United States conducted retaliatory strikes on 85 targets of Iran-backed militias operating in Iran and Syria.

Source: AP