laos in 1967 during the vietnam war. initially declared missing, then killed in action, knight's remains were at last recovered and identified in june. his homecoming bringing dallas' busytravelers paid respect and workers on the tarmac stood at attention. the air force was knight's career. the native texan loved to hunt and fish, but his life was anchored by patricia and their three children, roy iii, gay ann and brian. here on the family's last vacation together. 52 years after knight said good-bye to brian at love field, the little boy squinting in this photo, he flew his father home. roy iii met them. >> there's competing emotions. you know he's coming home which is a good thing. and it is a very good thing but there's also the aspect of, you know, we're reliving the loss. >> reporter: the family will now go through the rituals denied them for half a century. mourning again their hero of the sky. >> and his son flew him home. it gives you chills. nbc's anne thompson reporting there. >>> still ahead this morning, president trump set to begin his vacation with a series of unresolved issues on the table from the aftermath of the back-to-back gun massacres to iran, as t