thedrifter
10-07-05, 10:16 AM
Marines home after Iraq tour
By BECKY SHAY
Of The Gazette Staff
After an hour of waiting at the airport, the baby was getting a little fussy. But even at 3 months old, little Trent Lewis seemed to know something important was going to happen.
Trent was waiting to meet his daddy.
Marine Lance Cpl. Trevor Lewis had seen lots of pictures of his son - who he proclaimed was perfect when they met at Billings Logan International Airport - but Thursday about 1 p.m. was the first time he got to kiss and hold the infant. The baby flashed his dad a smile that extended to his blue eyes.
Lewis serves with Bravo Company of the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, of the Marine Corps Reserves. He was serving in Iraq when his wife, Tracy, gave birth to Trent on the Fourth of July.
Lewis was among 17 Marine Reservists who returned to Billings on Thursday, arriving in small groups at the airport throughout the day after some connecting flights were missed and others delayed.
Lewis said he was looking forward to spending time with family members who live in Helena. Standing close to Tracy and loosely holding Trent's hand, Lewis said he planned to spoil his wife and son - "and myself, too."
Tracy Lewis said there were difficult times while waiting for Trevor's return, but like all military families, she held faith that this day would come.
"I worried, too," she said. "But you just have to know they are going to come home and be positive and be strong for them."
Across the room, Marcia Johnson, of Butte, was reuniting with her only child, Lance Cpl. Nick Johnson, who turned 21 in Iraq. Tears came to Marcia Johnson's eyes as she gripped a welcome-home sign and waited to greet her son.
The Marines shipped out Jan. 10 and have been in Iraq since March. Nearly 10 months of waiting was "scary times," Johnson said.
"It's really a relief," she said of the homecoming. "Just to see him and know he's OK."
The Marine was OK and said it was "really nice" to get home, where there is snow on the ground instead of 130-degree days, as well as good food, and family and friends waiting. Now he wants to "just get back to school" at Montana State University in Bozeman.
Outside the airport, Staff Sgt. Richard Reed, who is stationed in Billings, greeted his fellow Marines as they tossed their gear bags into the back of a Hummer.
The Billings homecoming was more personal than the one Reed received when he and about 1,500 other Marines returned to Twentynine Palms, Calif., in 2003, he said.
It's always good to be home, he said.
"You're relieved," Reed said. "You did something for a good cause."
Some of the emotions are the same, he said, including that "cold chill" the Marines get when they see the waving flags, hear the cheers and receive hugs and handshakes of homecoming.
"When you leave, you are sad," Reed said. "When you get back, you have that joy that you are back on solid ground and you don't have to deal with all the craziness."
In Iraq, the Marines were attached to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, an infantry unit based in Ohio, said Marine Gunnery Sgt. Larry Carlson. Not everyone from the group made it back. On Aug. 3, Lance Cpl. Nicholas Bloem, of Belgrade, was killed along with 13 other Marines when their light armored vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.
Later Thursday, relatives and well-wishers returned to the airport, only to find that several Marines had been delayed for reasons that were not immediately clear.
Amy Briggs, of Conrad, began crying quietly after learning that her son Lance Cpl. Jesse Briggs, 20, would not be walking toward the airport exit about 4 p.m. as planned.
"I'm just kind of getting worn out with emotion," she said.
"This is just the letdown after seven months of being on nerves," said her husband, Bill.
After the weeks spent monitoring media reports on the Internet for news of their son's unit, they said they took comfort in knowing that he was safe and would soon return.
Arlene Groshans, of Bridger, said she would attend a welcome-home ceremony planned at the Armed Forces Reserve Center at 2915 Gabel Road, even though her son, Pfc. D.J. Groshans, 23, was rescheduled for a later flight.
"It'll be nice just to see his friends," she said. "He's really close with all of them."
Lance Benzel contributed to this report.
Ellie
By BECKY SHAY
Of The Gazette Staff
After an hour of waiting at the airport, the baby was getting a little fussy. But even at 3 months old, little Trent Lewis seemed to know something important was going to happen.
Trent was waiting to meet his daddy.
Marine Lance Cpl. Trevor Lewis had seen lots of pictures of his son - who he proclaimed was perfect when they met at Billings Logan International Airport - but Thursday about 1 p.m. was the first time he got to kiss and hold the infant. The baby flashed his dad a smile that extended to his blue eyes.
Lewis serves with Bravo Company of the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, of the Marine Corps Reserves. He was serving in Iraq when his wife, Tracy, gave birth to Trent on the Fourth of July.
Lewis was among 17 Marine Reservists who returned to Billings on Thursday, arriving in small groups at the airport throughout the day after some connecting flights were missed and others delayed.
Lewis said he was looking forward to spending time with family members who live in Helena. Standing close to Tracy and loosely holding Trent's hand, Lewis said he planned to spoil his wife and son - "and myself, too."
Tracy Lewis said there were difficult times while waiting for Trevor's return, but like all military families, she held faith that this day would come.
"I worried, too," she said. "But you just have to know they are going to come home and be positive and be strong for them."
Across the room, Marcia Johnson, of Butte, was reuniting with her only child, Lance Cpl. Nick Johnson, who turned 21 in Iraq. Tears came to Marcia Johnson's eyes as she gripped a welcome-home sign and waited to greet her son.
The Marines shipped out Jan. 10 and have been in Iraq since March. Nearly 10 months of waiting was "scary times," Johnson said.
"It's really a relief," she said of the homecoming. "Just to see him and know he's OK."
The Marine was OK and said it was "really nice" to get home, where there is snow on the ground instead of 130-degree days, as well as good food, and family and friends waiting. Now he wants to "just get back to school" at Montana State University in Bozeman.
Outside the airport, Staff Sgt. Richard Reed, who is stationed in Billings, greeted his fellow Marines as they tossed their gear bags into the back of a Hummer.
The Billings homecoming was more personal than the one Reed received when he and about 1,500 other Marines returned to Twentynine Palms, Calif., in 2003, he said.
It's always good to be home, he said.
"You're relieved," Reed said. "You did something for a good cause."
Some of the emotions are the same, he said, including that "cold chill" the Marines get when they see the waving flags, hear the cheers and receive hugs and handshakes of homecoming.
"When you leave, you are sad," Reed said. "When you get back, you have that joy that you are back on solid ground and you don't have to deal with all the craziness."
In Iraq, the Marines were attached to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, an infantry unit based in Ohio, said Marine Gunnery Sgt. Larry Carlson. Not everyone from the group made it back. On Aug. 3, Lance Cpl. Nicholas Bloem, of Belgrade, was killed along with 13 other Marines when their light armored vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.
Later Thursday, relatives and well-wishers returned to the airport, only to find that several Marines had been delayed for reasons that were not immediately clear.
Amy Briggs, of Conrad, began crying quietly after learning that her son Lance Cpl. Jesse Briggs, 20, would not be walking toward the airport exit about 4 p.m. as planned.
"I'm just kind of getting worn out with emotion," she said.
"This is just the letdown after seven months of being on nerves," said her husband, Bill.
After the weeks spent monitoring media reports on the Internet for news of their son's unit, they said they took comfort in knowing that he was safe and would soon return.
Arlene Groshans, of Bridger, said she would attend a welcome-home ceremony planned at the Armed Forces Reserve Center at 2915 Gabel Road, even though her son, Pfc. D.J. Groshans, 23, was rescheduled for a later flight.
"It'll be nice just to see his friends," she said. "He's really close with all of them."
Lance Benzel contributed to this report.
Ellie