July 9th, 2008 8:54 pm
Soldiers KIA Coffin Mural

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY.com) -- Harry Smyth started his second career in life 18 years ago airbrushing t-shirts.

"I think there's a lot more satisfaction out of doing something like this than a t-shirt," said Smyth.

Today his canvas is a lot bigger and the first of its kind for him.

"I'm pretty honored that I was chosen to be able to do it. It's pretty cool," said Smyth.

Inside Complete Automotive Incorporated in Virginia Beach, Smyth is airbrushing a mural on the side of a Delta Airlines Cart. The cart will be used to carry the casket of a fallen soldier.

"The fallen soldier should be represented and should be honored and to bring them home in just kind of a drabby cart is really not that honorable, to me anyway," said Smythe.

It all began with a call from Delta Airlines to body shop supervisor Eddie Duncan, who used to work for Delta.

"I'm getting a lump in the throat just now thinking about it," said Duncan.

"I'm anxious to see it completed, I'm anxious to see it out there on the ramp," he continued.

Smyth says the image he wanted to airbrush came to him right away.

"Something basically that would go along with a memorial of bringing a soldier home," he explained.

Before the mural was even started the cart had to be sanded down and painted.

"It was all beat up on the inside and everything and there was holes drilled in the bottom," said body shop owner Richard Kelly Jr.

Kelly estimates local companies have donated 10-thousand dollars worth of materials and labor.

Smyth says his time is a small price to pay.

"I can't really say what its going to mean to them but I hope that it shows them some comfort, the time that we've put in and donated to give back to them. They've given up more sacrificed a lot more than we ever will," he said.

Complete Automotive Incorporated says it still needs a $500 donation for an aluminum diamond plate to line the inside of the cart.