A somber procession of a half-dozen vehicles and a dozen motorcycles slowly wound its way through the gates at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills cemetery as dusk eased onto the horizon on Monday, April 17.
The motorcade, which formally began hours earlier across the country in Kentucky, had just journeyed methodically through the streets of Los Angeles. Its mission: Bring the remains of Sgt. Isaac John Gayo, 27, back to his adopted home in the City of the Angels.
Gayo, 27, of the 101st Airborne Division, was one of the nine U.S. Army soldiers killed when a pair of Black Hawk helicopters crashed last month near Fort Campbell in Trigg County, Kentucky.
Investigators have since found the helicopters’ flight data recorders, and are still striving to determine the cause of the crash. Officials said the pilots were using night-vision goggles during medical evacuation training.
Community members and first responders, including from Southern California police and fire agencies, gathered in tribute to the fallen soldier. The procession, organized by Honoring Our Fallen, was led by motorcyclists from the Patriot Guard Riders.
“It’s important to the family that they can see that the community cares,” said Laura Herzog, who operates Honoring Our Fallen and worked with the Army’s casualty care officer on the arrangements to bring Gayo home. “It is our job as parents, grandparents and the community to honor sacrifice. We need to gather in solidarity, no matter what the differences, and honor the men and women in the military and the first responders.”
The route from LAX to the cemetery: Sepulveda Boulevard; 105 East to 110 North; 110 North to I-5 North; I-5 North to 134-Ventura; 134 to Forest Lawn Drive; left onto Memorial Drive and into Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, 6300 Forest Lawn Drive. Gayo will be buried there Friday afternoon.
Along the way, people gathered to cheer, wave flags and salute the fallen soldier.
The procession arrived at the memorial park around…
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