thedrifter
10-08-05, 07:57 AM
Home, sweet home
Lance Cpl. Jamie Bowshier couldn’t stop holding and hugging his three children — two whom he met for the first time Friday morning.
Bowshier said the toughest thing about being in Iraq was being away from his family, as he cradled one of his 6-week-old twin sons with his 7-year-old daughter, Adrienne, running around.
When his twin sons, Matthew and Michael, were born in late August, the Marine was with the hard-hit, Ohio-based Lima Company in the Al Anbar province of western Iraq.
The 140 Marines in Lima Company are part of the battalion that lost 48 reservists. Lima Company took 16 of those deaths. Part of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, the company lost nine of its 16 reservists in August in the deadliest roadside bombing of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Even with all of the violence the company encountered, Bowshier and two other Clark County Marines — Lance Cpl. Chris Rogusky, of Springfield, and Cpl. James McCauley, of Enon — made it home safely.
After dealing with all of the violence, Bowshier, 30, said, “(It’s) the greatest feeling in the world to come home and see your family.”
After seven months of living and breathing for letters, e-mails and phone calls, Jennifer Bowshier, Jamie’s wife, was filled with relief to have her husband — her hero — home.
“It’s all kind of surreal,” she said. “It seems too good to be
true, but I’m really happy.”
When the Marines arrived in Columbus on Friday, people waved flags along a 20-mile parade route the Marines’ buses took and hundreds of relatives with welcome signs greeted them.
“Pretty much the whole city of Columbus was out to support us today,” Bowshier said.
Back at home in Springfield on Seymour Street, neighbors lined the curb with U.S. flags and tied red, white and blue balloons to the stop signs to signal his arrival.
“I wanted Jamie to feel proud and special, especially as he came home,” said Angie Edwards, a neighbor. “He really is a hero, and he needs to feel that way. As his neighbors I felt it was our responsibility to convey that to him and his family.”
The other local Marines were met with similar homecomings.
Rows of U.S. flags, blown up picture banners and T-shirts announced welcome home as passing cars honked in support and neighborhood children shouted congratulations.
A driver passing the Rogusky’s residence stopped and expressed his sentiment: “I don’t know who you are, but it’s good to have you back home. Thanks for serving the country.”
McCauley said the droves of people cheering and waving signs in Columbus was overwhelming but welcoming as the Marines were transported to Rickenbacker Airport for ceremonies.
“It’s good to be back in Ohio with the Buckeyes,” he said after being deployed since early March.
Standing in his home, McCauley said he missed daily home life.
“I love couches. I haven’t had one in nine months,” the Enon Marine said. “I miss a regular cycle of sleeping and eating.”
Their tour in Iraq didn’t allow for any downtime or a moment of rest. The Marines’ duties included eliminating insurgent operations and training Iraqi armed forces.
The units endured severe attacks, losing an entire squad of 12 at one point. McCauley, a team leader, said the Marines helped and supported each other to remain positive because platoons were involved in continual missions.
Billie Lynn Gemind, McCauley’s mother, often heard and saw reports of attacks on Lima Company and was always relieved to get a phone call assuring that her son had survived.
“My objective and my thinking was getting these guys through this alive,” McCauley, 24, said.
The company suffered horrifying losses during firefights and explosions and according to Rogusky, “We were the most engaged battalion since the Vietnam War.”
In a computer instant message conversation, he told his father, Daniel Rogusky, about the extreme conditions: “2 hour firefight. In the middle of it for 30 min. pinned down on a wall right in front of the house under medium machine gun fire and grenades.”
His father kept the computer correspondence in a scrapbook detailing his son’s tour of duty in Iraq.
The Shawnee High School graduate said images of men killed in his platoon and destruction have left him with a few bad dreams and sleeplessness nights. “It’s not been something that’s really bugging me,” he said. “Just something I have to deal with.”
Family and friends kept Rogusky’s spirit up by sending gag gifts like silly string, funky underwear and junk food.
Hoping soon to return back to a normal life, Rogusky can’t wait to get out on the green for a few rounds of golf with his dad.
“It’s kind of weird going from a football field to a combat zone,” Rogusky, 20, said, mentioning his plans to continue his education at Clark State Community College.
Back among friends and family, the Marines said the experience has taught them a deeper value for life.
“It definitely gave me a whole new perspective on life,” Jamie Bowshier said. “I appreciate all the things we have here in this country and freedoms that we have way more than I did.”
Reach LaToya Thompson at lathompson@coxohio.com
— The Associated Press contributed to this story
Ellie
Lance Cpl. Jamie Bowshier couldn’t stop holding and hugging his three children — two whom he met for the first time Friday morning.
Bowshier said the toughest thing about being in Iraq was being away from his family, as he cradled one of his 6-week-old twin sons with his 7-year-old daughter, Adrienne, running around.
When his twin sons, Matthew and Michael, were born in late August, the Marine was with the hard-hit, Ohio-based Lima Company in the Al Anbar province of western Iraq.
The 140 Marines in Lima Company are part of the battalion that lost 48 reservists. Lima Company took 16 of those deaths. Part of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, the company lost nine of its 16 reservists in August in the deadliest roadside bombing of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Even with all of the violence the company encountered, Bowshier and two other Clark County Marines — Lance Cpl. Chris Rogusky, of Springfield, and Cpl. James McCauley, of Enon — made it home safely.
After dealing with all of the violence, Bowshier, 30, said, “(It’s) the greatest feeling in the world to come home and see your family.”
After seven months of living and breathing for letters, e-mails and phone calls, Jennifer Bowshier, Jamie’s wife, was filled with relief to have her husband — her hero — home.
“It’s all kind of surreal,” she said. “It seems too good to be
true, but I’m really happy.”
When the Marines arrived in Columbus on Friday, people waved flags along a 20-mile parade route the Marines’ buses took and hundreds of relatives with welcome signs greeted them.
“Pretty much the whole city of Columbus was out to support us today,” Bowshier said.
Back at home in Springfield on Seymour Street, neighbors lined the curb with U.S. flags and tied red, white and blue balloons to the stop signs to signal his arrival.
“I wanted Jamie to feel proud and special, especially as he came home,” said Angie Edwards, a neighbor. “He really is a hero, and he needs to feel that way. As his neighbors I felt it was our responsibility to convey that to him and his family.”
The other local Marines were met with similar homecomings.
Rows of U.S. flags, blown up picture banners and T-shirts announced welcome home as passing cars honked in support and neighborhood children shouted congratulations.
A driver passing the Rogusky’s residence stopped and expressed his sentiment: “I don’t know who you are, but it’s good to have you back home. Thanks for serving the country.”
McCauley said the droves of people cheering and waving signs in Columbus was overwhelming but welcoming as the Marines were transported to Rickenbacker Airport for ceremonies.
“It’s good to be back in Ohio with the Buckeyes,” he said after being deployed since early March.
Standing in his home, McCauley said he missed daily home life.
“I love couches. I haven’t had one in nine months,” the Enon Marine said. “I miss a regular cycle of sleeping and eating.”
Their tour in Iraq didn’t allow for any downtime or a moment of rest. The Marines’ duties included eliminating insurgent operations and training Iraqi armed forces.
The units endured severe attacks, losing an entire squad of 12 at one point. McCauley, a team leader, said the Marines helped and supported each other to remain positive because platoons were involved in continual missions.
Billie Lynn Gemind, McCauley’s mother, often heard and saw reports of attacks on Lima Company and was always relieved to get a phone call assuring that her son had survived.
“My objective and my thinking was getting these guys through this alive,” McCauley, 24, said.
The company suffered horrifying losses during firefights and explosions and according to Rogusky, “We were the most engaged battalion since the Vietnam War.”
In a computer instant message conversation, he told his father, Daniel Rogusky, about the extreme conditions: “2 hour firefight. In the middle of it for 30 min. pinned down on a wall right in front of the house under medium machine gun fire and grenades.”
His father kept the computer correspondence in a scrapbook detailing his son’s tour of duty in Iraq.
The Shawnee High School graduate said images of men killed in his platoon and destruction have left him with a few bad dreams and sleeplessness nights. “It’s not been something that’s really bugging me,” he said. “Just something I have to deal with.”
Family and friends kept Rogusky’s spirit up by sending gag gifts like silly string, funky underwear and junk food.
Hoping soon to return back to a normal life, Rogusky can’t wait to get out on the green for a few rounds of golf with his dad.
“It’s kind of weird going from a football field to a combat zone,” Rogusky, 20, said, mentioning his plans to continue his education at Clark State Community College.
Back among friends and family, the Marines said the experience has taught them a deeper value for life.
“It definitely gave me a whole new perspective on life,” Jamie Bowshier said. “I appreciate all the things we have here in this country and freedoms that we have way more than I did.”
Reach LaToya Thompson at lathompson@coxohio.com
— The Associated Press contributed to this story
Ellie