FREEBIRD
03-28-05, 08:08 PM
Today, we welcomed home another young man who left his wife and baby and other family and friends stateside while he went to the Middle East in defense of our Liberty. I had never met Danny before today. His mother and his father, a WWII Veteran, are both members of Task Force Omega of KY, a POW MIA activist organization of which this writer is also a member. I have welcomed home many of our local military but this was extended family.
Danny Cruz is an officer in the Navy Seabees. His unit spent a lot of time in Iraq and Kuwait this past year. I never tire of seeing a mother or wife welcome home her son or husband from war and Lydia Smith's tears spoke all the words she needed to say. Lydia is Danny's mother and the relief in her face was evident to even the most casual of observers. I think there is a special place reserved in heaven for these families who sacrifice so much while their young men and women serve in combat. I know, because our son returned to us from Iraq in March of 2004, praise the Lord. My heart aches for those Americans whose troops came home in flag draped coffins.
There were about thirty of us there to welcome this young man back into the arms of his family. Our State Director Sergeant Danny "Greasy" Belcher, asked the Airport staff to announce Danny Cruz's arrival and a nice lady at the airport obliged by not only announcing his arrival when his plane touched down, but she did it twice so Danny Cruz would also hear it when he entered the terminal. The applause was thunderous. The nice lady even made sure to give Danny Cruz a big hearty thank you over the intercom, and then came over to give him a warm welcome home hug and personal thank you. Now, that's American! War protesters be damned.
As we all stood there and took turns hugging Danny Cruz and thanking him for his service, I noticed other people who were there for other reasons clapping and smiling at the good fortune of Bill and Lydia Smith to get their son back from combat. If you have never lived through having a son or daughter in harm's way during military combat, and then had them come home to you, I don't think I can explain the depth of the relief and the instantaneous gushing of salt that automatically happens when you see your hero's face for the first time. It is one of those moments, that when you reflect upon it down the road, the tears comes back, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. I can still lose a lot of liquid salt every time I reflect upon my brother Scott's return to us from the Viet Nam War in 1968, and my son's return more recently. It never leaves you.
We met the others from Task Force Omega of KY on Newtown Pike as they entered Lexington from points east. Greasy was leading the group on his Harley Davidson Panhead Chopper with a 3' x 5' POW MIA Flag streaming behind mounted on a historic walking stick he takes with him to the Wall every year. There were about five flag waving motorcycles and five flag waving cars with him. Ironman Jack and I fell in with the group and it was off to the Bluegrass Airport where Airport Administrator John Coon made special arrangements for our parking near the front terminal doors. Again, the Bluegrass Airport staff showed their patriotic stuff. Salute!
On the way in to the Airport, a two-wheeled group from Frankfort were waiting for us on Man O War Boulevard and they fell in behind. We invited all the local television stations, but none showed up to cover the event. I even had an insider at one of the stations try to make it happen. Unfortunately, we live in an "entertainment drunk" society and right now Americans are drunk with March Madness so the media are all busy covering that seasonal entertainment blitz. I am glad and proud that I took time out to welcome home a real hero today and feel sorry for those who could have enjoyed it but missed out. March Madness happens every year, but Seabee Danny Cruz comes home from Operation Iraqi Freedom only once. We are blessed to have among us young men like Danny Cruz. God bless our troops and God bless America.
Forget????.................NEVER!!!!!!!!!!
FREEBIRD
USMC 69-76
Danny Cruz is an officer in the Navy Seabees. His unit spent a lot of time in Iraq and Kuwait this past year. I never tire of seeing a mother or wife welcome home her son or husband from war and Lydia Smith's tears spoke all the words she needed to say. Lydia is Danny's mother and the relief in her face was evident to even the most casual of observers. I think there is a special place reserved in heaven for these families who sacrifice so much while their young men and women serve in combat. I know, because our son returned to us from Iraq in March of 2004, praise the Lord. My heart aches for those Americans whose troops came home in flag draped coffins.
There were about thirty of us there to welcome this young man back into the arms of his family. Our State Director Sergeant Danny "Greasy" Belcher, asked the Airport staff to announce Danny Cruz's arrival and a nice lady at the airport obliged by not only announcing his arrival when his plane touched down, but she did it twice so Danny Cruz would also hear it when he entered the terminal. The applause was thunderous. The nice lady even made sure to give Danny Cruz a big hearty thank you over the intercom, and then came over to give him a warm welcome home hug and personal thank you. Now, that's American! War protesters be damned.
As we all stood there and took turns hugging Danny Cruz and thanking him for his service, I noticed other people who were there for other reasons clapping and smiling at the good fortune of Bill and Lydia Smith to get their son back from combat. If you have never lived through having a son or daughter in harm's way during military combat, and then had them come home to you, I don't think I can explain the depth of the relief and the instantaneous gushing of salt that automatically happens when you see your hero's face for the first time. It is one of those moments, that when you reflect upon it down the road, the tears comes back, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. I can still lose a lot of liquid salt every time I reflect upon my brother Scott's return to us from the Viet Nam War in 1968, and my son's return more recently. It never leaves you.
We met the others from Task Force Omega of KY on Newtown Pike as they entered Lexington from points east. Greasy was leading the group on his Harley Davidson Panhead Chopper with a 3' x 5' POW MIA Flag streaming behind mounted on a historic walking stick he takes with him to the Wall every year. There were about five flag waving motorcycles and five flag waving cars with him. Ironman Jack and I fell in with the group and it was off to the Bluegrass Airport where Airport Administrator John Coon made special arrangements for our parking near the front terminal doors. Again, the Bluegrass Airport staff showed their patriotic stuff. Salute!
On the way in to the Airport, a two-wheeled group from Frankfort were waiting for us on Man O War Boulevard and they fell in behind. We invited all the local television stations, but none showed up to cover the event. I even had an insider at one of the stations try to make it happen. Unfortunately, we live in an "entertainment drunk" society and right now Americans are drunk with March Madness so the media are all busy covering that seasonal entertainment blitz. I am glad and proud that I took time out to welcome home a real hero today and feel sorry for those who could have enjoyed it but missed out. March Madness happens every year, but Seabee Danny Cruz comes home from Operation Iraqi Freedom only once. We are blessed to have among us young men like Danny Cruz. God bless our troops and God bless America.
Forget????.................NEVER!!!!!!!!!!
FREEBIRD
USMC 69-76