David Laughlin
The Duncan Banner
LAWTON —
Henry Post Army Airfield at Fort Sill was silent as the Falcon 20 airplane made its approach Thursday morning. The only sounds came from the two engines of the approaching plane and field artillery in the distance.
When the wheels of the plane made contact with the tarmac at about 11:19 a.m., the sound of screeching wheels filled the quiet air. The plane, much like Staff Sgt. Vinson “Trinity” Bryon Adkinson III’s life, stopped abruptly.
Adkinson is an Empire native with many family members in Stephens County. He was killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded near his unit Aug. 31 in Afghanistan. Adkinson and four other soldiers lost their lives because of the explosion.
He was serving in the 173rd Airborne Division, based out of Hamburg, Germany. He was on his second tour-of-duty in the war-torn nation of Afghanistan. It was his fifth tour-of-duty, with three tours served in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. During his career as a soldier, he spent eight years overseas.
Upon taxiing to the proper location, Adkinson’s remains were lowered onto the tarmac, flanked by the Fort Sill Honor Guard and his family.
Among his family members who were gathered, were his brother, Jacob, in uniform, and his sister, Mary Kay.
They were greeted with the roar of motorcycles and blue skies. The Patriot Guard Riders, at the request of the family, lined the runway of the airfield with American flags to show their respect for Adkinson and his family.
The clouds and torrential downpours of tropical storm Hermine that inundated much of Oklahoma Wednesday with rain, cleared out by Thursday morning. Mother Nature, it seemed, provided a clear day for the family and those wishing to pay respects to Adkinson to do so.
After the family gathered at the plane’s side as Adkinson’s casket was lowered, a procession with Patriot Guard Riders leading the way, made its way down Geronimo Road on Fort Sill and exited Fort Sill. The caravan continued to State Highway 7 and traveled east to Duncan. All along SH 7, motorists on both sides of the highway pulled onto the shoulder of the road and exited their cars to show respect for Adkinson and his family.
Many residents stretched small flags to the sky as the procession passed.
The Lawton Police Department escorted the procession until it reached Stephens County. That is when Sheriff Wayne McKinney and the Stephens County Sheriff’s deputies took over.
“It was very, very well coordinated,” McKinney said.
“I was very pleased and proud to see the people of Duncan and Stephens County come out and line the streets. It made me feel good, it touched me. My office will always be there when someone needs us, especially for a young soldier who gave his life for our freedoms.”
The procession continued east on Oklahoma Highway 7 and proceeded south on U.S. Highway 81 into Duncan. The procession also received the assistance of the Duncan Police Department.
It stopped for a moment of silence near Country Club Care Nursing Center in Duncan, so that Adkinson’s grandmother, Mary, could also pay her respects. The final resting stop Thursday was at Grantham’s Funeral Home.
A full military honor burial will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the Fort Sill National Cemetery in Elgin. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Ray of Hope Church, which is south of Duncan on U.S. Highway 81. The Patriot Guard Riders will escort the procession to the church and back to the cemetery.
— David Laughlin is a reporter for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 144, or via e-mail at david.laughlin@duncanbanner.com.
