Home Sweet Home
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
I Home Sweet Home Family, friends await the homecoming of loved ones in Iraq Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Corpsman Mark Delay, is headed based at Fort Bliss, Texas, remain cooked for him. He’s told me tit By Chelsea J. Carter Division to Twentynine Palms, home aboard the Lincoln, but her overseas, although five former he wants green chile chide THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Calif. thoughts also are with those POWs from the company returned enchiladas,” said Natalie Hutto She just hopes he’s back by whose spouses remain in the to the base Saturday. Two Apache of El Paso, Texas. SAN DIEGO — Audrey August, in time for the birth of Middle East. helicopter crewmen who were Everett plans a welcome Trevino has played it over in her their second child. “Our husbands are on the way among the rescued POWs also party for the USS Lincoln, v mind a thousand times: Her Navy “The rumors are starting, and home. There are men on the front returned Saturday to their base. cheering crowd waving 2i husband steps off the ship after you just hope they are true,” she lines who are going to be there Fort Hood, Texas. yellow pompoms. Club Broadra months at sea supporting the war said. for months,” she said. “So it’s “We will have several welcome Ten-year-old Jake Rabidou of hard to be so excited.” has even begun collecting in Iraq, grabs her in his arms and celebrations, not only for (the tions from local customers so kisses her. Camp Lejeune, N.C., also does Some cities already have had n’t know how long he’s going to homecoming celebrations. In 507th) but for all our soldiers,” can throw its own party for “I’m going to be there waiting Fort Bliss spokeswoman Jean when the ship comes home, have to wait to see his father, a Norfolk, Va., and Groton, Conn., crew. Marine gunnery sergeant transport ships and submarines Offut said. For Trevino, the return of lie whenever that is,” said Trevino, The wife of former POW Army 27, of San Antonio, Texas. deployed since January. He returned to thousands of flag-wav husband’s transport ship, the Now that the battle for Iraq is wants his father home soon, Jake ing family members. Spc. Joseph Hudson already has Diego-based USS Dubuque, can over, the lingering question for says, “because I miss him.” Members of the 507th plans for when her husband come soon enough. That ship her and other military family Kathy Delay of Everett, Wash., Maintenance Support Company returns.” He just wants dinner not part of the Lincoln’s group. is happy her husband, hospital members is when will the troops She and her husbant come home? Signalman Victor Trevino, For some, it’s a matter of weeks. been married a little more tk In San Diego and Everett, two Wash., the anticipation is growing years, half of which her after word came that the USS band has spent at sea. Abraham Lincoln, a floating air “I’ll just keep thinking i field for the Navy’s most modern it,” she said. “It kind of makes! fighter jets, is on its way home. wait worth it.” The Lincoln and its seven-ship She’s looking forward to battle group have been at sea near sharing the journal he has ly nine months, longer than any throughout the war. U.S. carrier group now on duty. It “I know this is going to k will offload its airwing and leave really big thing that happened some of support ships in San Diego before returning to its home him, and he’s going to wanttota port in Everett. about,” she said. “He doesn’ For others, especially families to forget any of it, and I don’t we of Marines or Army soldiers, the him to.” wait will be much longer. Defense Though families look forwari Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said it to the homecomings, nearly likely will be several months say the hardest part will cob before most of the ground troops with the end of celebrations. leave Iraq. “I’ve never had a husband com Antonia Aurilio, 28, of home from war before,” Aurili Bridgeport, Conn., said she has said. “I understand it’s going t known from the day her husband. Ralph Lauer • KRT CAMPUS take time to get back to noraaii Gunnery Sgt. James Aurilio, was Texas Chief Warrant Officer David Williams waves to the gathered 1st Calvary and family members during a welcome home cere deployed that it would be months mony Saturday, April 19, 2003, for Williams and fellow POW Chief Warrant Officer Ronald D. Young. know they have seen stuff]®/ before he returned with the 1st comprehend.” Aggie Marine leads Texas POWs set to retun effort to rescue POWs home after medical test I am writing on By Chris Roberts Spc. Shoshana Johnson, 30, behalf of my fiance, El Paso, had gunshot wounds to THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Brett Eubank. Brett ankles during an ambush. Althoi is Class of 2001, for others also were wounded, theyfo EL PASO, Texas — After a brief mer member of been able to walk on their oi Corps of Cadets examination and a check of their Johnson has required wheelchairs Company E-2, and medical files, the commander of the get around. red sash of the Ross William Beaumont Army Medical However, military officials in Volunteers. After Center said late Sunday that five for Paso have said it is still possii graduating in mer prisoners of war could be head December of 2001, Johnson will be treated on an ed home by the end of the week. Brett began his tient basis. “It’s probably going to take close career as a Marine During the ambush, nine niff] to the rest of the week” to finish the Corps officer. His bers of the 507th were killed and first year was spent required examinations, Col. Glenn taken prisoner, including in basic training and Mitchell said. “Then we can turn Jessica Lynch, who was resciifj the infantry school. them over to their units and they’ll from an Iraqi hospital on April 1 Shortly after his probably be put on convalescent graduation from Lynch is still recovering from PHOTO COURTESY OF AGGIENETWORK .COM leave.” infantry school, he injuries at the Walter Reed ABj Brett Eubank, Marine Corps officer Mitchell said it appeared that was deployed to Medical Center in Washington, none of the five members of the Operation Freedom was Brett’s platoon commanding officer The 507th soldiers taken prist# 507th Maintenance Company who in Iraq. specifically that of the historical were: Johnson; Joseph Hudson, 2 were taken prisoner on March 23 He is a part of the found and rescued POW rescue. I am so Alamogordo, N.M.; Spc. Edji 3rd Light Armored the seven POWs in proud and the entire near Nasiriyah, Iraq, would have to Hernandez, 21, Mission; Pf‘ Vehicle division of Samarra. This was Aggie family should be hospitalized. the Marine Corps. an incredible rescue be as well. Patrick Miller, 23, Park City, P He said the examinations would and Sgt. James Riley, Brett has been on the for many reasons. include such things as a test to make front lines since the Pennsauken, N.J. The 3rd Light -Mary-Lauren sure they didn’t pick up any gas beginning of the Armored Vehicle Ashley, Class of They returned to Fort Bliss conflict. I received Division does not 2001 trointestinal infections during their Saturday evening as thousandsf the most amazing perform special Source: The captivity. onlookers cheered and wavf news yesterday operations and basi Association of Mitchell said most of the work on American flags. through his cally stumbled into Former Students, Sunday involved going through Also among the returnees v/ff Captain’s wife. She this situation. Brett u’ w w. a g g i e n e t - medical files from the military hos two First Cavalry Division Apa# informed me that it Eubank was the work.com Ralph I.auer • KRT CAMPUS pital in Landstuhl, Germany. “We helicopter pilots from Fort Ho® have done our best to leave these Chief Warrant Officer Ronald P Above: Chief Warrant Officer people with their families and loved Young Jr., 26, of Lithia Springs,ft Ronald D. Young points to his 1st ones,” he said. and Chief Warrant Officer Davidi Cavalry patch on his uniform as The soldiers spent the day with Williams, 30, of Orlando, Fla. his stepfather looks on during a family members, sequestered at Fort After returning to Fort Hood welcome home ceremony Bliss where they will begin to ease Saturday night, Young and Willia Saturday, April 19, 2003, at Fort back into life in the United States. joined President Bush at Eastf Hood, Texas, for Young and “I would imagine they are just church services at the military p® Apache pilot David Williams. kicking back and enjoying each oth on Sunday. Bush met with thet" A jubilant crowd waves American ers’ company,” said post spokes and their families afterward, say'11: flags as they welcome home for woman Jean Offutt. She said the he had “a good talk with mer POWs, Chief Warrant Officer families and soldiers are all staying Good, strong men.” David Williams and Chief Warrant together in a hotel-like building Williams said the meeting”"'' Officer Ronald Young, Jr. during within the protective confines of an absolute honor.” welcome home ceremonies at Fort Bliss. Added Chief Warrant 0ff'ct Fort Hood Army Base in Killeen, Offutt said the soldiers will begin Ronald D. Young Jr.: “We stand l®* Texas late Saturday night, April their tests on Monday.