They were inbound but no one knew from what direction. The crowd on the large tarmac at the airfield expected the arrival at any moment. Suddenly some one in the assembled group shouted, “There they are!” From the east a silhouette appeared in the blue sky where fair weather cumulus clouds added to the beauty of the day. The silhouette got closer and just as the distinct shape of four jet fighter aircraft could be discerned the noise of their turbojet engines sucking in and expelling air could be heard. Traveling at 350 miles per hour at 1000 feet above the ground the four jets were in close formation locked into position like sections of a jigsaw puzzle. The noise level increased dramatically, described by more than one air show announcer as the “sound of freedom”.
The flight path was parallel with the crowd control line and on a westerly heading. With no discernible deviation of the four fighter aircraft other than their rapid forward travel they continued on course on their assigned mission. When directly abeam the center of the crowd, suddenly one of the aircraft lifted from the formation as simultaneously the ignition of its afterburner was heard. With a greatly increased sound level the single jet went into a near perpendicular ascent to the heavens until it became invisible to the naked eye. The remaining three aircraft maintained their steady westward course but with now a space in their formation – “The Missing Man”.
Such is the now common occurrence at military installations to honor a comrade who has departed from this life. Originally the ritual was performed to remember a compatriot who had fallen in combat but now is bestowed as well upon others deceased through accident or old age. The ceremony is widely used by military and civilian aviators alike to bid farewell to a fellow member of the flying fraternity in his final slipping of the surly bonds of earth.
How and when did this tradition begin? For every claim to be the first there will others to remember a prior occurrence. The origination probably began in some aged fighter squadron when fellow pilots reminiscing about their deceased buddy said, “Here is an idea – Let us do this…” The ceremony is now used at air shows throughout the world and as the final act in grave side internments. Although high performance jet afterburner equipped aircraft are more impressive, the ritual has the same profound meaning and effect whether flown in J-3 Piper Cubs or F-16 Fighting Falcon jets.
There is no standard procedure but normally the ritual is flown with four aircraft of common size and speed. The four aircraft form in a “fingertip” formation which is maintained until the missing man departs. When looking at the top of your right hand the middle finger is the flight leader, #2 on the left, and #3 and #4 on the right. The #3 man is the one who pulls up and away and is normally the pilot with the closest friendship to the deceased. After the missing man ascends into the heavens the remaining three flight members maintain their position leaving the #3 position vacant. The flight then may make a second flyby over the open air assembly again displaying the missing man and honoring his life among us.
There is a compact among those who enjoy the exhilaration of flight and breaking the bonds of gravity that bind the flying fraternity together no matter what the aeronautical mission. The missing man ritual is a tradition that is not expected to soon pass away.
Wings Over Cumberland 