thedrifter
07-07-05, 03:54 AM
Family keeps candles lighted for son in Iraq
By DARLENE DENSTORFF
ddenstorff@theadvocate.com
Ascension section editor
Gonzales -- Cpl. Joseph Tullier knelt in front of his home and said a prayer for his U.S. Marine Corps buddies stationed in Iraq before he took part in a tradition for returning soldiers.
Just minutes after the family caravan arrived home from a tearful June 28 reunion at Baton Rouge Metro Airport, Joseph's father, who served in the Vietnam War, explained a tradition observed in his family since World War II.
"In World War II, families didn't have electricity so they put a candle at the house to light the way home for soldiers returning from war," said Barry Tullier, Joseph's father. "We've been burning this candle 24-7 since Joseph left."
The returning Marine took off his cap as he asked the more than 50 family members gathered around the front porch to pray for the comrades he left in Fallujah.
"Now you're home," Barry Tullier said as his son blew out the candle. "Let's eat."
With those words, the 21-year-old Marine received a heaping plate of jambalaya.
"We have MREs (meals ready to eat) with jambalaya, but it's not the same," Joseph Tullier said, as he gobbled down his first "real meal in a long time."
For the 2001 East Ascension High School graduate, the family celebration was his first opportunity to see many of his relatives and friends in more than a year. He helped the campers at St. Theresa Warrior Camp on Friday celebrate the Fourth of July with a parade and flag ceremony.
Joseph Tullier worked as a counselor at the summer camp and attended the Catholic school in Gonzales.
Since returning home, Joseph, his brother Jermone, a former Marine, and their father have been spending time fishing at their Belle River camp.
He spent Monday with a Marine buddy from Houston who got them tickets to an Astros baseball game.
The Tullier family started its welcome home celebration for Joseph at Metro Airport. Donned in red, white and blue and carrying American flags, balloons and signs, more than 30 members of Joseph's family greeted him.
"I was shocked when I saw everyone," Joseph said. "I expected eight or so people. I couldn't believe (Ascension Parish) Sheriff (Jeff) Wiley provided a motorcycle escort for us. This was a real surprise."
The airport reunion prompted a traveler to send Joseph a "note saying how touched he was to see the family reunion at the airport and to thank Joseph for serving his country," said Joseph's mother, Alba Tullier. "I don't know this man and he doesn't know us, but he wanted to say thank you to Joseph. Wasn't that nice?"
"We're not planning anything special, just seeing him home is special enough," said his grandmother Rometra Tullier, adding that she too had a candle burning at home for her grandson.
Among the friends and family members at the celebration on Coon Trap Road was Joseph's first teacher, Sister Ameline Theriot.
"Joseph always stood out," Theriot said. "He's one of those kids you never forget. He was such a kind, special child. I am so proud of Joseph."
The prekindergarten teacher was not the only one singing Joseph's praises at the celebration.
"Words can't express how proud I am of my grandson," said his grandfather Archie Tullier, a former Marine and World War II veteran. "He's kept up the family tradition."
Both Joseph and his grandfather graduated from the same boot camp, Parris Island Marine Corps Base in South Carolina. Barry Tullier was born at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Joseph's military roots also reach into his mother's family, as his other grandfather, Bob Amedee served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the military police. His great-uncle Antoine died in a battle in France and another great-uncle, Lloyd, was wounded while serving in France.
"Our family was able to trace our military heritage back to the Civil War," Barry Tullier said.
The family recognized its military past by presenting five family members with framed photographs from their military days. Nicole Crawford, Joseph's sister, said "it was the least we could do."
"Look how young I was," said Amedee, as he showed his photo to his grandson. "I must have been 19 when this was taken in Tokyo. That was a long time ago."
For Barry Tullier, a detective with the Sheriff's Office, the welcome-home celebration was a way to "say thank you to Joseph and make sure he knows everyone appreciates what he is doing for all of us."
"I wanted to make sure he didn't have to go through what I went through when I returned from Vietnam," Barry Tullier said. "This has been hard for me as a Vietnam veteran. I never thought one of my sons would go through some of the things I went through."
Barry said he and his wife tried to stay in contact with their son through letters, e-mail and the occasional telephone call. It was during one of those e-mails that Joseph requested a rod and reel.
"I wondered why he wanted a rod and reel in the middle of the desert," Barry Tullier said. "My son informed me that there was a big lake at Camp Fallujah, one of Saddam's palaces. He later told me they caught fish, but couldn't eat them because of what they found at the bottom of the lake."
That lake's floor was sprinkled with the bones of people tortured by Saddam's followers, Barry Tullier said.
He said he also discovered that the national media isn't telling the entire story when it comes to the work the Marines, Army soldiers and other are doing in Iraq.
"You don't hear about all the rebuilding efforts over there," Barry Tullier said. "They are rebuilding schools, bringing in plumbing, electricity, but you don't hear about the good things.
"It's not the same as Vietnam," Tullier said of critics of the war who say the United States is getting involved in "another Vietnam." "I was there. It's not the same."
Joseph Tullier also kept in touch with the community via students at three area schools. The children at St. Theresa and Westlake Middle School in Walker corresponded with Joseph and Duplessis Primary School students sent toys for the Iraqi children.
Joseph's sister-in-law, Jennifer Tullier, kept her sixth-, seventh- and eight-grade students at Westlake up-to-date with the war in Iraq through letters from Joseph.
She shared a photograph of Joseph with her students, and they decided to take on a project to show the Marines their support. The students decided to have everyone at the school sign a special banner thanking Joseph and his fellow Marines. In addition to the banner, which was mailed to Joseph in May, the sixth-graders wrote to them.
"It was neat to have all of the kids involved," Jennifer said.
Meanwhile in Ascension Parish, students at St. Theresa also kept in touch with the former student. The children at Duplessis Primary school learned about Joseph through a teacher.
After hearing that the Iraqi children didn't have toys, the Duplessis students collected more than 40 boxes of toys for Joseph to distribute.
Joseph was a K-9 handler stationed at a Fallujah checkpoint when he noticed one child playing with pieces of a broken toy car.
"That was all he had to play with," Joseph said. "I wrote my father and everyone found out about the kids. I was so surprised when the boxes of toys started arriving."
Joseph handed out the toys to children going through the checkpoint.
"It was so rewarding to see those kids going through the grab box for a toy," Joseph said. "These kids don't have a lot and I'm glad we could do something.
"We take everything we have for granted," Joseph continued. "From plumbing to grass, we just take things for granted."
In Iraq, Joseph worked with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment out of Camp Pendleton and the 1st Battalion, 6 Regiment from Camp LeJeune.
He arrived in Fallujah on the second day of the Marines' push on the city. With his dog Adja at his side, Joseph swept buildings for bombs.
During his searches, Joseph uncovered 27 assault rifles, 26 ammunition caches, rockets and two bomb factories.
Joseph hopes to see many of his friends before heading back to his base in Hawaii in three weeks. He has volunteered for another tour of duty in Iraq.
"I'm a single man and I thought it was the right thing to do so married Marines with children don't have to go back," he said.
"We're so proud of him," his mom said. "We pray and trust in God he'll be all right. We'll enjoy him while he's here with us."
Ellie
By DARLENE DENSTORFF
ddenstorff@theadvocate.com
Ascension section editor
Gonzales -- Cpl. Joseph Tullier knelt in front of his home and said a prayer for his U.S. Marine Corps buddies stationed in Iraq before he took part in a tradition for returning soldiers.
Just minutes after the family caravan arrived home from a tearful June 28 reunion at Baton Rouge Metro Airport, Joseph's father, who served in the Vietnam War, explained a tradition observed in his family since World War II.
"In World War II, families didn't have electricity so they put a candle at the house to light the way home for soldiers returning from war," said Barry Tullier, Joseph's father. "We've been burning this candle 24-7 since Joseph left."
The returning Marine took off his cap as he asked the more than 50 family members gathered around the front porch to pray for the comrades he left in Fallujah.
"Now you're home," Barry Tullier said as his son blew out the candle. "Let's eat."
With those words, the 21-year-old Marine received a heaping plate of jambalaya.
"We have MREs (meals ready to eat) with jambalaya, but it's not the same," Joseph Tullier said, as he gobbled down his first "real meal in a long time."
For the 2001 East Ascension High School graduate, the family celebration was his first opportunity to see many of his relatives and friends in more than a year. He helped the campers at St. Theresa Warrior Camp on Friday celebrate the Fourth of July with a parade and flag ceremony.
Joseph Tullier worked as a counselor at the summer camp and attended the Catholic school in Gonzales.
Since returning home, Joseph, his brother Jermone, a former Marine, and their father have been spending time fishing at their Belle River camp.
He spent Monday with a Marine buddy from Houston who got them tickets to an Astros baseball game.
The Tullier family started its welcome home celebration for Joseph at Metro Airport. Donned in red, white and blue and carrying American flags, balloons and signs, more than 30 members of Joseph's family greeted him.
"I was shocked when I saw everyone," Joseph said. "I expected eight or so people. I couldn't believe (Ascension Parish) Sheriff (Jeff) Wiley provided a motorcycle escort for us. This was a real surprise."
The airport reunion prompted a traveler to send Joseph a "note saying how touched he was to see the family reunion at the airport and to thank Joseph for serving his country," said Joseph's mother, Alba Tullier. "I don't know this man and he doesn't know us, but he wanted to say thank you to Joseph. Wasn't that nice?"
"We're not planning anything special, just seeing him home is special enough," said his grandmother Rometra Tullier, adding that she too had a candle burning at home for her grandson.
Among the friends and family members at the celebration on Coon Trap Road was Joseph's first teacher, Sister Ameline Theriot.
"Joseph always stood out," Theriot said. "He's one of those kids you never forget. He was such a kind, special child. I am so proud of Joseph."
The prekindergarten teacher was not the only one singing Joseph's praises at the celebration.
"Words can't express how proud I am of my grandson," said his grandfather Archie Tullier, a former Marine and World War II veteran. "He's kept up the family tradition."
Both Joseph and his grandfather graduated from the same boot camp, Parris Island Marine Corps Base in South Carolina. Barry Tullier was born at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Joseph's military roots also reach into his mother's family, as his other grandfather, Bob Amedee served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the military police. His great-uncle Antoine died in a battle in France and another great-uncle, Lloyd, was wounded while serving in France.
"Our family was able to trace our military heritage back to the Civil War," Barry Tullier said.
The family recognized its military past by presenting five family members with framed photographs from their military days. Nicole Crawford, Joseph's sister, said "it was the least we could do."
"Look how young I was," said Amedee, as he showed his photo to his grandson. "I must have been 19 when this was taken in Tokyo. That was a long time ago."
For Barry Tullier, a detective with the Sheriff's Office, the welcome-home celebration was a way to "say thank you to Joseph and make sure he knows everyone appreciates what he is doing for all of us."
"I wanted to make sure he didn't have to go through what I went through when I returned from Vietnam," Barry Tullier said. "This has been hard for me as a Vietnam veteran. I never thought one of my sons would go through some of the things I went through."
Barry said he and his wife tried to stay in contact with their son through letters, e-mail and the occasional telephone call. It was during one of those e-mails that Joseph requested a rod and reel.
"I wondered why he wanted a rod and reel in the middle of the desert," Barry Tullier said. "My son informed me that there was a big lake at Camp Fallujah, one of Saddam's palaces. He later told me they caught fish, but couldn't eat them because of what they found at the bottom of the lake."
That lake's floor was sprinkled with the bones of people tortured by Saddam's followers, Barry Tullier said.
He said he also discovered that the national media isn't telling the entire story when it comes to the work the Marines, Army soldiers and other are doing in Iraq.
"You don't hear about all the rebuilding efforts over there," Barry Tullier said. "They are rebuilding schools, bringing in plumbing, electricity, but you don't hear about the good things.
"It's not the same as Vietnam," Tullier said of critics of the war who say the United States is getting involved in "another Vietnam." "I was there. It's not the same."
Joseph Tullier also kept in touch with the community via students at three area schools. The children at St. Theresa and Westlake Middle School in Walker corresponded with Joseph and Duplessis Primary School students sent toys for the Iraqi children.
Joseph's sister-in-law, Jennifer Tullier, kept her sixth-, seventh- and eight-grade students at Westlake up-to-date with the war in Iraq through letters from Joseph.
She shared a photograph of Joseph with her students, and they decided to take on a project to show the Marines their support. The students decided to have everyone at the school sign a special banner thanking Joseph and his fellow Marines. In addition to the banner, which was mailed to Joseph in May, the sixth-graders wrote to them.
"It was neat to have all of the kids involved," Jennifer said.
Meanwhile in Ascension Parish, students at St. Theresa also kept in touch with the former student. The children at Duplessis Primary school learned about Joseph through a teacher.
After hearing that the Iraqi children didn't have toys, the Duplessis students collected more than 40 boxes of toys for Joseph to distribute.
Joseph was a K-9 handler stationed at a Fallujah checkpoint when he noticed one child playing with pieces of a broken toy car.
"That was all he had to play with," Joseph said. "I wrote my father and everyone found out about the kids. I was so surprised when the boxes of toys started arriving."
Joseph handed out the toys to children going through the checkpoint.
"It was so rewarding to see those kids going through the grab box for a toy," Joseph said. "These kids don't have a lot and I'm glad we could do something.
"We take everything we have for granted," Joseph continued. "From plumbing to grass, we just take things for granted."
In Iraq, Joseph worked with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment out of Camp Pendleton and the 1st Battalion, 6 Regiment from Camp LeJeune.
He arrived in Fallujah on the second day of the Marines' push on the city. With his dog Adja at his side, Joseph swept buildings for bombs.
During his searches, Joseph uncovered 27 assault rifles, 26 ammunition caches, rockets and two bomb factories.
Joseph hopes to see many of his friends before heading back to his base in Hawaii in three weeks. He has volunteered for another tour of duty in Iraq.
"I'm a single man and I thought it was the right thing to do so married Marines with children don't have to go back," he said.
"We're so proud of him," his mom said. "We pray and trust in God he'll be all right. We'll enjoy him while he's here with us."
Ellie