thedrifter
06-21-06, 08:10 AM
A hero’s welcome home
Best friends reunite after serving in Iraq
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Two longtime friends, who enlisted in the Marines the same day four years ago as high school seniors, reunited Thursday after serving separate tours in Iraq’s most dangerous province.
The evening was a surprise to Cpl. Eric Beauchamp, who received a hero’s welcome home Thursday at Germantown’s Café Mileto where 60 friends and family gathered to surprise the 21-year-old Marine just back from five months in Iraq.
Beauchamp celebrated with his best friend, Marine Sgt. Greg Baker, 21, who also returned to Germantown this month after serving in Iraq for seven months. Baker served in Fallujah, and Beauchamp served just south of the city in the country’s dangerous Al Anbar province.
‘‘I learned the value of life a little more,” Beauchamp told the crowd with Baker by his side. ‘‘Seeing what I’ve seen over there has given me insights and made me grow up a little faster than I should have. ... We’re only 21 years old, and we’re veterans.”
The pair decided to enroll in the Marines together and signed their commitment papers the same day as 17-year-old seniors at Northwest High School, where their friendship blossomed as freshmen. The only thing that kept them from leaving for basic training at the same time was a bout of poison ivy Beauchamp got while helping Baker with his Eagle Scout project.
So Baker left for basic training and got a two-week head start. After training, they were both stationed in Maryland for two years.
They parted ways last summer when Baker was assigned to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and Beauchamp was assigned to Camp Pendleton in California.
Until Thursday, they hadn’t seen each other in about 10 months.
‘‘They’re like brothers. He was so glad when Greg left Iraq because it was one less person to worry about,” friend Rebecca Wassell, 20, of Germantown, said of Beauchamp.
Beauchamp had no idea that Wassell and dozens of other friends and family eagerly awaited his arrival Thursday night. His parents and immediate family, who flew in from Florida, New Hampshire and South Carolina, met him at Baltimore⁄Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. They told him they would return to the Cinnamon Woods home of his parents.
Instead, Beauchamp was escorted into a limousine and arrived at Café Mileto where balloons and banners welcomed him.
‘‘This is so wonderful, this is so wonderful,” murmured one woman as Beauchamp walked in the door.
Don Beauchamp, Eric’s father, was taken aback by all the people who arrived to cheer his son.
‘‘This is amazing, it really is,” he said. ‘‘There are people here that I’ve known for 50 years.”
His father had to sign commitment papers when Eric enlisted because, at 17, he was underage.
‘‘It’s hard on a parent, I’ll tell you that,” Don Beauchamp said of his son’s time in Iraq. ‘‘I’m relieved.”
He didn’t hold his emotions back. The first thing he told his son when he saw him at the airport was ‘‘Love you ... love you, buddy.”
Eric Beauchamp spent most of his time on guard at the 500-meter by 800-meter Marine compound where he was stationed, south of Fallujah. He got about one to two hours of sleep a day.
His unit was never directly attacked, but did face mortar fire. Five Marines from his unit died; 12 died from Baker’s unit.
Eric Beauchamp said he received the Navy Achievement Medal with combat valor for his quick work to move a fellow Marine to an aid station in April. Shrapnel from a mortar attack hit the Marine, so Beauchamp picked him up and carried him to medical attention.
To keep busy in the 120-degree heat, Eric Beauchamp said he lifted weights and read 29 books.
His family sent him food, candy, toiletries and magazines.
‘‘He told us the food was really bland and boring so I went out and bought all the spices and marinades I could find,” said his aunt, Beth Binette, of New Hampshire.
She filled boxes with food and family photos to mail to him.
Eric’s mother, Kathy Beauchamp, sent out dozens of parcels, sometimes twice a week.
‘‘Everyone has asked ‘What can I do? What can I send?’” she said.
She was responsible for planning Thursday’s party, which the family had never really done before for birthdays or other occasions.
Kathy Beauchamp said she screamed when she saw her son at the airport.
‘‘This has just been the best day ever,” she said.
Ellie
Best friends reunite after serving in Iraq
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Two longtime friends, who enlisted in the Marines the same day four years ago as high school seniors, reunited Thursday after serving separate tours in Iraq’s most dangerous province.
The evening was a surprise to Cpl. Eric Beauchamp, who received a hero’s welcome home Thursday at Germantown’s Café Mileto where 60 friends and family gathered to surprise the 21-year-old Marine just back from five months in Iraq.
Beauchamp celebrated with his best friend, Marine Sgt. Greg Baker, 21, who also returned to Germantown this month after serving in Iraq for seven months. Baker served in Fallujah, and Beauchamp served just south of the city in the country’s dangerous Al Anbar province.
‘‘I learned the value of life a little more,” Beauchamp told the crowd with Baker by his side. ‘‘Seeing what I’ve seen over there has given me insights and made me grow up a little faster than I should have. ... We’re only 21 years old, and we’re veterans.”
The pair decided to enroll in the Marines together and signed their commitment papers the same day as 17-year-old seniors at Northwest High School, where their friendship blossomed as freshmen. The only thing that kept them from leaving for basic training at the same time was a bout of poison ivy Beauchamp got while helping Baker with his Eagle Scout project.
So Baker left for basic training and got a two-week head start. After training, they were both stationed in Maryland for two years.
They parted ways last summer when Baker was assigned to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and Beauchamp was assigned to Camp Pendleton in California.
Until Thursday, they hadn’t seen each other in about 10 months.
‘‘They’re like brothers. He was so glad when Greg left Iraq because it was one less person to worry about,” friend Rebecca Wassell, 20, of Germantown, said of Beauchamp.
Beauchamp had no idea that Wassell and dozens of other friends and family eagerly awaited his arrival Thursday night. His parents and immediate family, who flew in from Florida, New Hampshire and South Carolina, met him at Baltimore⁄Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. They told him they would return to the Cinnamon Woods home of his parents.
Instead, Beauchamp was escorted into a limousine and arrived at Café Mileto where balloons and banners welcomed him.
‘‘This is so wonderful, this is so wonderful,” murmured one woman as Beauchamp walked in the door.
Don Beauchamp, Eric’s father, was taken aback by all the people who arrived to cheer his son.
‘‘This is amazing, it really is,” he said. ‘‘There are people here that I’ve known for 50 years.”
His father had to sign commitment papers when Eric enlisted because, at 17, he was underage.
‘‘It’s hard on a parent, I’ll tell you that,” Don Beauchamp said of his son’s time in Iraq. ‘‘I’m relieved.”
He didn’t hold his emotions back. The first thing he told his son when he saw him at the airport was ‘‘Love you ... love you, buddy.”
Eric Beauchamp spent most of his time on guard at the 500-meter by 800-meter Marine compound where he was stationed, south of Fallujah. He got about one to two hours of sleep a day.
His unit was never directly attacked, but did face mortar fire. Five Marines from his unit died; 12 died from Baker’s unit.
Eric Beauchamp said he received the Navy Achievement Medal with combat valor for his quick work to move a fellow Marine to an aid station in April. Shrapnel from a mortar attack hit the Marine, so Beauchamp picked him up and carried him to medical attention.
To keep busy in the 120-degree heat, Eric Beauchamp said he lifted weights and read 29 books.
His family sent him food, candy, toiletries and magazines.
‘‘He told us the food was really bland and boring so I went out and bought all the spices and marinades I could find,” said his aunt, Beth Binette, of New Hampshire.
She filled boxes with food and family photos to mail to him.
Eric’s mother, Kathy Beauchamp, sent out dozens of parcels, sometimes twice a week.
‘‘Everyone has asked ‘What can I do? What can I send?’” she said.
She was responsible for planning Thursday’s party, which the family had never really done before for birthdays or other occasions.
Kathy Beauchamp said she screamed when she saw her son at the airport.
‘‘This has just been the best day ever,” she said.
Ellie