The three fallen Ohio Air National Guard airmen who died in western Iraq on March 12 returned to Columbus on Sunday.
Capt. Seth Koval, 38, of Stoutsville, Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, both of Columbus, died when their KC-135 refueling plane crashed.
All three served with the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base. That's where the three were brought on Sunday.
They were met by Columbus police and more than 200 motorcyclists who waited on a nearby street and parking lot to escort them from the base. They included many veterans and represented groups, including the American Legion Riders and the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association.
"So many of our veterans, they help keep us safe here," said Kevin Miller of the Patriot Guard Riders Ohio. "And when a tragedy like this happens, the least we can do is to show them honor by escorting them and showing families that we care and we hurt as much as they do."
More than 30 people waited along Rickenbacker Parkway to pay tribute to the airmen. Many held American flags.
Kari Pfeifer of Crestline is a retired Air National Guard member. Pfeifer did not know any of the airmen who died but said she came to Columbus to honor them.
Standing next to Pfeifer was Dorothy Thomas of Gahanna. Thomas said her granddaughter is in the 121st Air Refueling Wing.
"I knew that the boys were coming home," Thomas said. But she said if she hadn't talked to her granddaughter on Saturday, she wouldn't have known that they would be arriving on Sunday.
"I'm here to pay my respects, and I'm very disappointed that there's not more people here," Thomas said.
As people waited, a KC-135 tanker flew overhead, escorted by two fighter planes.
Later, four fighters flew in the "missing man" formation, with one streaking straight up over the base while the other three continued forward.
Matt Ashmore of Veterans of Foreign Wars District 10 in Crestline said the remains of Simmons were to be escorted to Columbus, Kobel to Ashville and Angst to Wilmington.
One group of law enforcement and motorcyclists escorted each hearse.
Media were not permitted on the base for what the Air National Guard called a "solemn event."
The airmen's remains arrived in the United States at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on March 18.
