thedrifter
05-15-05, 05:47 AM
Like son, like father as Marines return
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Matthew Tweed remembers the yellow ribbons from 1991, when he was 9 years old and he welcomed his father back from Operation Desert Storm.
Saturday night, it was U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jay Tweed's turn to welcome his son home from war as Matthew Tweed, now a 23-year-old Marine lance corporal, arrived from Iraq at the Marine Corps Reserve Center in suburban West Palm Beach.
There weren't yellow ribbons, but Matthew's mother, Marianna, painted her fingernails bright yellow for the occasion.
"My knees are sore from praying for him," she said as her son and 22 other members of the Delta detachment of the 4th Air/Naval Gunfire Liaison Company ended a seven-month deployment in Iraq.
The Marines arrived around 9 p.m. to mobs of family members after serving with coalition forces south of Baghdad.
Ten other members of the detachment arrived Friday.
The Marines arrested fugitives and seized weapons caches in Iraq and did not sustain any casualties, said Lt. Col. Pete Ahern.
Tina Speicker of Port St. Lucie met her husband, Lance Cpl. Cory Speicker, and brought their 3-year-old daughter, Delaney, and 8 1/2 -month-old daughter, Morgan.
Tina didn't tell her older daughter they were going to meet her father, only that she had a surprise for her.
"The most exciting part was to see the 3-year-old, to see her face... The entire time that he was gone, there wasn't a day that went by that she didn't ask about her father," Tina said while simultaneously crying and beaming a wide smile.
"Hey Daddy! See my necklace and bracelet?" Delaney said.
Lance Cpl. Speicker, who works for the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, was activated in September and went to Iraq in October.
"It feels great" to be back, he said. "It's the greatest feeling."
http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/06/54/35/image_1535546.jpg
Lance Cpl. Cory Speicker, returning from Iraq Saturday, greets daughter Delaney, 3, while nephew Lance, 4, sits on his knee.
Ellie
By George Bennett
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Matthew Tweed remembers the yellow ribbons from 1991, when he was 9 years old and he welcomed his father back from Operation Desert Storm.
Saturday night, it was U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jay Tweed's turn to welcome his son home from war as Matthew Tweed, now a 23-year-old Marine lance corporal, arrived from Iraq at the Marine Corps Reserve Center in suburban West Palm Beach.
There weren't yellow ribbons, but Matthew's mother, Marianna, painted her fingernails bright yellow for the occasion.
"My knees are sore from praying for him," she said as her son and 22 other members of the Delta detachment of the 4th Air/Naval Gunfire Liaison Company ended a seven-month deployment in Iraq.
The Marines arrived around 9 p.m. to mobs of family members after serving with coalition forces south of Baghdad.
Ten other members of the detachment arrived Friday.
The Marines arrested fugitives and seized weapons caches in Iraq and did not sustain any casualties, said Lt. Col. Pete Ahern.
Tina Speicker of Port St. Lucie met her husband, Lance Cpl. Cory Speicker, and brought their 3-year-old daughter, Delaney, and 8 1/2 -month-old daughter, Morgan.
Tina didn't tell her older daughter they were going to meet her father, only that she had a surprise for her.
"The most exciting part was to see the 3-year-old, to see her face... The entire time that he was gone, there wasn't a day that went by that she didn't ask about her father," Tina said while simultaneously crying and beaming a wide smile.
"Hey Daddy! See my necklace and bracelet?" Delaney said.
Lance Cpl. Speicker, who works for the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, was activated in September and went to Iraq in October.
"It feels great" to be back, he said. "It's the greatest feeling."
http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/06/54/35/image_1535546.jpg
Lance Cpl. Cory Speicker, returning from Iraq Saturday, greets daughter Delaney, 3, while nephew Lance, 4, sits on his knee.
Ellie