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Louisiana Flag Bearer

Emmett Carson and Kyle N. Thigpen

Introduction

Emmett Carson

Born in Louisiana in 1942 at the New Iberia, General Hospital while my parents were living in Lafayette, LA. Moved to Welsh, LA at age six, grew up there, and started college at age 18. Graduated from Northwestern State University of LA in 1965 where I also earned my civilian pilot's license. Joined the US Marine Corps and went through Navy Flight School in T-34s and T-28s. Later transitioned to helicopters and flew one 13 month tour in South Vietnam as a combat helicopter pilot in 1968.

Residing in Lafayette, LA since 1970 with two jobs. Primary job is a helicopter pilot for Chevron Texaco; flying offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Secondary occupation is as the owner of Aero Scan, an aerial photography and aerial inspection company.

My wife, Patsy and I have one son, Ryan - age 27 - who resides in Seattle.

Day of Infamy - 11 September, 2001

Instead of returning to Louisiana, I and my Cessna 150 remained overnight at Angleton, TX on 10 September, 2001 after shooting an aerial photo job there. The next morning on the way back to the airport I heard on the car radio that an airplane had hit one of the Twin Towers. Thinking it was an accident, similar to the military B-25 that hit the Empire State Building after WWII, perhaps caused by a light airplane due to bad weather, I was quite disturbed. Upon reaching the airport, the Sheriff's department closed off the road just after I entered. I went into the FBO and half a dozen people were riveted to the TV.  What I saw sent my emotions reeling - it was as if someone had handed me a blank sheet of paper and asked me to plot a course of action for the world for the next ten years.

Unable to fly the Cessna home, I rented a car that afternoon and drove the 230 miles - assessing options, imagining the grief, pain and agony of those involved, and guessing at what would actually transpire in the immediate future.

Then as I drove I noticed, subtly at first, that there were American flags appearing in people's windows, painted on car windows, and in one case a large field with over 80 flags arranged in rows - subtle testimony that we were alive and well. It is this spirit that I hope we can foster by our Flight Across America. My nephew, Kyle Thigpen is the co-captain for the flight If he is representative of the next generation of airmen who will follow in our footsteps, then aviation will be well taken care of. For me, being selected as my state's Flag Bearer Pilot is an honor of the highest degree; and a duty which I am proud to accept.

Kyle N. Thigpen

Born June 13, 1976 in Bogalusa, Louisiana, I now live in Seattle, Washington where I work for Alaska Airlines. Having graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation and Airport Management, I realized once I entered the “real world” that all I really wanted to do was fly. Currently I am enrolled in the Professional Pilot I program at the Northwest Aviation College in Auburn, Washington. At this time I hold a private pilot, single-engine land license. By the time we leave for New York I will have my multi-engine endorsement and will be instrument rated shortly after returning home.

I am humbled and honored to be participating in this memorial to the victims and heroes of a year ago. Like everyone else, I vividly remember where I was and what I was doing on September 11, 2001 and painfully understand how we all have been changed forever. Having grown up around aviation my whole life, always looking to the sky at the sound of an airplane, I will never forget the eerie feeling associated with the absolute silence in the area in and around Seattle-Tacoma’s normally busy Class B airspace. The emptiness and silence in the skies above our nation mirrored the emptiness left in our hearts and silence in the way many of us went about our lives. All of the stories that came out in the days, weeks and months following of heroism, bravery and selfless acts that occurred in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. helped lift all our spirits and remind us all about what a strong country we have. It is those heroes that I am happy to remember and honor in this Flight Across America.

Last Updated: 08/30/02. Copyright © 2002 Flight Across America