Brook Park Marines Set To Return Thursday

[thedrifter]

Brook Park Marines Set To Return Thursday
Tue Oct 4, 5:53 PM ET

Members of a Brook Park-based Marines battalion stepped foot on American soil again Friday night, and they will soon be back in northeast Ohio

NewsChannel5 reported that members of the 3rd Battalion 25th Marines will return Thursday afternoon, and preparations for homecoming activities are now under way.

The Marines arrived at Camp Lejeune, N.C. on Friday. Monday, Vice President Dick Cheney addressed the Marines, praising them for service to their country.

The battalion faced heavy losses while serving in Iraq, and their story has touched the hearts of a community and a country.

Lt. Col. Mike Brown, of the 3/25, is asking people to line the streets when the Marines make their homecoming procession from Cleveland Hopkins Airport to Brook Park.

"To see that show of support, they haven't seen, they don't know the outpouring that the community is ready to present to them," said Brown.

The Marines are expected to fly into Hopkins around 4:50 p.m. From there, the Marines will travel down state Route 237 to Eastland Road, to Holland Road, finally ending at the Brook Park Recreation Center for a private reunion with family and loved ones.

There are several public parking lots available for those who wish to welcome home the Marines on Thursday:

AmWare Distribution Warehouses, 19801 Holland Road Brook Park City Hall, 6161 Engle Road Brook Park Community Church of the Bretheren, 16845 Holland Road Brook Park Memorial Grade School main lot, 16900 Holland Road Cuyahoga County Library, 6155 Engle Road Firestone Tire & Rubber, 6275 Eastland Road Ford Middle School -- main lot, 17001 Holland Road Gateway Distribution, 19700 Holland Road Satellite Shelters, Inc., 19759 Holland Road St. Peter the Apostle Church, 6455 ENgle Road

There will also be a public ceremony for the 3/25, which is set for October 14 at 1 p.m., at the I-X Center.

Akron Homecoming

About 140 members of the 3/25 based in Akron are scheduled to come home on Friday. The Marines will be arriving at the Akron-Canton Airport on two flights, at 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m.

A tentative parade route will be along Massillon Road/Route 241N from International Parkway, to the intersection of Route 241N and Interstate 77.

The public is also invited to attend a homecoming event on Oct. 14 at John S. Knight Center, located at 77 East Mill Street in Akron.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Homecoming - Marine unit's return expected after 7-month tour of Iraq
By KATHY VAUGHAN, T-R City Editor

The wait is almost over.

Marines Terrence Dexter Jr. of New Philadelphia and Brian Sponaugle of Mineral City are due back in Ohio Thursday after serving with Operation Iraqi Freedom. Travis Brill of Plainfield in Coshocton County, who will see his daughter for the first time, and his Columbus-based company of the same Marine Reserve unit are expected to return this month.

Dexter, a lance corporal, and Sponaugle, a private, will return with about 160 members of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Headquarters & Service Company based in Brook Park. The group will fly into Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Thursday at 4:45 p.m. and then be transported to the Brook Park Recreation Center for a private reunion with families and loved ones.

On Friday, two more flights are scheduled to bring in 140 Marines and sailors to Akron-Canton Airport from the Akron-based Weapons Company of the 3rd/25th. Details of the homecoming of Brill’s weapons platoon of Lima Company were not available.

A parade route has been established through Brook Park to welcome home H&SC of Marine Corps 3/25, which had 14 Marines killed in a roadside bombing in August. The unit, consisting of five companies, was deployed in January and just completed a seven-month tour of duty in Iraq.

Brill’s wife, Teri, gave birth to daughter Cami on May 24. His 5-year-old son Kaden also is waiting for his return, as are his parents, Tom and Debbie Brill of Plainfield.

The Dexters have two young daughters, Samantha, 5, and Tory, 2.

For now, H&SC Company is in Camp Lejeune, N.C., for debriefing.

“He’s doing great – they’re all eating at restaurants and bonding,” Dana Dexter said of her husband, who telephoned her Tuesday. “I’m glad one of us is. I haven’t slept in two days. I’m a key volunteer so I’ve been on the phone with families all the time.”

Dexter, a scout sniper in Iraq, lost six of his best friends in the bombing in Iraq, and the loss has been huge, according to his wife.

When Sponaugle’s sister, Terri Schrock of Sugarcreek, shared her concerns for her brother in a Times-Reporter article in August, Dexter was able to contact her and the two formed their own mini-support group. Dexter said they had dinner several times and shared their concerns and developed a friendship.

Sponaugle, a private, is a son of Robert and Linda Sponaugle. His request that area residents send supplies to the unit was met with an overwhelming response from donors and the Sonshine Box Organization, operated by volunteers Mark and Mona Stoffer and Perry and Jodie Baranich of Kimbolton.

Brill, a sergeant, is a 1994 Ridgewood High graduate and was interviewed recently by the Marine Corps Division of Public Affairs after his company detained suspected Al Qaida members. According to a news release provided to family friend Mitch Wise of Newcomerstown, the Marines were working with soldiers of the Iraqi Security Forces and detained several men after finding weapons in a house near the scene where several Marines died earlier in August.

While conducting routine observation, the Marines came across a group of suspicious men in a field located approximately two miles north of the town of Barwana.

“We were just observing the area when we saw all these guys just standing around,” said Brill, a 29-year-old section leader and Plainfield native. “After the ISF talked with these guys, we saw a vehicle that looked identical to the one leaving the scene a few weeks ago.”

After searching the taxi, the Marines saw traces of blood in it. They then began to search the property for any more incriminating evidence and discovered a bottle containing 7.62 mm ammunition, five AK-47s and a machine gun in new condition wrapped in plastic.

Inside the house, they found more blood, a new gas mask, a shoulder holster and propaganda CDs, according to the Marine article.

Of six men tested, five tested positive for gunpowder, which was a final factor in detaining them. The Marines also confiscated the weapons and the vehicle so officials could conduct forensic tests.

“I look forward to finding more things like these, and I hope it will lead to bringing more of these insurgents in,” said Brill. “By having the ISF here helping us, we will rid this country of any remaining elements of the insurgency before we know it.”

Ellie

http://www.timesreporter.com/photos/October2005/1005brillsonsalutenet.jpg

Kaden Brill, 5, salutes as he counts down the weeks until his father, Sgt. Travis Brill of Plainfield, returns home. The boy has tied a yellow ribbon to his grandparents’ porch every Monday since his father has been gone.