thedrifter
03-25-07, 06:42 AM
Article published Mar 25, 2007
Back among good company
Marines of Engineer Company B welcomed by masses in return to South Bend
MICHAEL WANBAUGH
Tribune Staff Writer
SOUTH BEND -- Here along Kemble Avenue on an otherwise gray Saturday afternoon, a small girl sprinted next to a Transpo bus, smiling as big as she probably ever has before.
No more than 10, she tried to keep up with the rolling bus, waving with her left hand and dragging a sign that read "Welcome Home Daddy" with the other.
Inside that bus, one of the approximately 120 Marines of Engineer Company B, waved frantically at the girl and blew kiss after kiss through the window.
The Marine Reserve unit from South Bend returned from Iraq Saturday to a tearful hero's welcome after a seven-month deployment."This a great day for us," said Cpl. Ryan Anderson, 23, while holding his 16-month-old son Ryan Jr. on his hip. "It was definitely long in anticipation."
Ryan Jr. was just 9 months old when Anderson was deployed with the rest of Company B back in July. The South Bend Marines arrived in Iraq toward the end of August.
Their mission was primarily to clear routes for coalition forces.
"It was hard being away and hearing (Ryan Jr.) growing up over the phone," Anderson said. "He was walking a couple months after I left. I'm here now and he's bigger."
Lance Cpl. Lance Yoder, 21, of Goshen, was met by his family, most wearing specially made welcome home shirts.A junior history major at Purdue University, Yoder left school to serve his country.
"Coming home is like a big dream," Yoder said. "You think about it for seven months, then all of a sudden it just happens."
Company B spent much of its time in Iraq near Fallujah. It returned to Camp Pendleton, Calif., Tuesday.
Just slightly behind schedule, the Southwest charter jet carrying Company B touched down at the South Bend Regional Airport at 5:11 p.m.Eight minutes later, the first Marine stepped off the plane. A burst of applause and finger whistles came from a small group of friends and relatives behind a runway fence.
The Marines then grabbed their packs and began boarding four idling Transpo buses for their ride across town to the Armed Forces Reserve Center on Kemble Avenue.
"They're very excited to be home," said Maj. Celeste Ross, who flew to Camp Pendleton just so she could fly back with the company. "As soon as the plane landed they started cheering."
During the final four-mile ride from the airport to the reserve center thousands of people lined the procession route. The four buses were escorted by more than 20 emergency vehicles -- sirens blaring -- and a good 60 to 70 motorcycles driven by members of the Patriot Guard Riders.
It looked more like a Veteran's Day parade than a motorcade. People held signs reading "Support Our Troops," and "Welcome Home, Company B."Along Lincoln Way West, screen doors burst open and smiling residents ran outside waving and pointing as the Marines rode past.
Children with no shirts and holding basketballs under their arms stopped their games to see the Marines.
"It was mind-blowing to see so many people," said Lance Cpl. Steve Gruza, 22, of Elkhart. "I'm a little surprised."
A South Bend police officer blocking the intersection of Lincoln Way and Cushing Street saluted as the line of vehicles passed.
Once the procession hit Kemble Avenue, the crowd grew more dense, as well as more tense with anticipation. This is where the families came to meet their Marines.Clarice Balmer of Lakeville celebrated her 79th birthday waiting to see her beloved grandson, Lance Cpl. Lawrence Balmer, 20, return.
"I cried when the plane touched down," Clarice Balmer said. "He was number 20 off the plane. I can't even explain how it feels. I've been waiting for this ever since they left. I've shed a lot of tears since then."
Red carpet awaited the Marines as they got off the buses. Family members stood on tip-toes and craned their necks to spot their loved ones.
One little girl, about 2 or 3, found her dad and didn't let go of him for about 15 minutes.
"I missed you so much," he kept repeating to her.Even U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-2nd, was wiping tears from his eyes as he watched the many reunions unfolding in front of him.
Still, there was one reunion that didn't occur Saturday.
The parents of Cpl. Aaron Seal led the four Transpo buses from the airport to the reserve center on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Seal, 23, was killed by a sniper on Oct. 1, 2006 in Baghdad. He was the only Marine from Company B lost during either deployment.
Company B was also in Iraq for about two months in 2003.For David Dunn, Seal's father, Saturday mixed his emotions pretty good.
"It's kind of hard, that's for sure," Dunn said before the plane landed. "I wasn't even going to come up, but I'm here, just playing it by ear."
In the end, Dunn said he owed it to the Marines coming home to be there when they got off the plane.
"Today is about Company B, and I wanted to be here to show my support," he said. "I'm sure a lot of them are going through a tough time. We just have to face it and move on."
At the reserve center, Dunn and his wife, Lori, stayed and visited in an understated manner. Not many people knew who they were.Every once in a while, though, a Marine would come up to them, hug them, and tell them what a great man their son was. Dunn would nod and say "thank you."
At about 7:15 p.m. the Marines of Company B gathered in formation for final roll call.
Maj. Mark Boone took a moment to thank the families of Company B, which he said performed 178 combat missions and received 39 personal decorations, seven of which were for valor.
"These Marines have met my expectations, then exceeded those expectations," Boone told families in a booming voice. "I'm a better man for serving with these Marines."
Boone also singled out Seal, saying he was the needle in Company B's compass.At 7:22 p.m., Boone dismissed Company B.
Lance Cpl. Ben Martin, 20, was happy he had served and that his mission was complete. He didn't expect to see as many people as there were on the streets and at the reserve center to welcome them back.
"It feels so much better than being over there," said Martin, who is from Osceola. "A lot of stress has been lifted off our shoulders.
His girlfriend, 19-year-old Veronica Collmer of Granger, agrees. For her, and for the masses standing around her world Saturday, it has been a long seven months.
"I'm just so glad to have him home again," Collmer said, her eyes still watery and her arms still firmly wrapped around Martin's waist. "When he got off that bus, it was like there was nobody else around. That's how it felt. It was just the two of us again."
Staff writer Michael Wanbaugh:
mwanbaugh@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6176
Ellie
Back among good company
Marines of Engineer Company B welcomed by masses in return to South Bend
MICHAEL WANBAUGH
Tribune Staff Writer
SOUTH BEND -- Here along Kemble Avenue on an otherwise gray Saturday afternoon, a small girl sprinted next to a Transpo bus, smiling as big as she probably ever has before.
No more than 10, she tried to keep up with the rolling bus, waving with her left hand and dragging a sign that read "Welcome Home Daddy" with the other.
Inside that bus, one of the approximately 120 Marines of Engineer Company B, waved frantically at the girl and blew kiss after kiss through the window.
The Marine Reserve unit from South Bend returned from Iraq Saturday to a tearful hero's welcome after a seven-month deployment."This a great day for us," said Cpl. Ryan Anderson, 23, while holding his 16-month-old son Ryan Jr. on his hip. "It was definitely long in anticipation."
Ryan Jr. was just 9 months old when Anderson was deployed with the rest of Company B back in July. The South Bend Marines arrived in Iraq toward the end of August.
Their mission was primarily to clear routes for coalition forces.
"It was hard being away and hearing (Ryan Jr.) growing up over the phone," Anderson said. "He was walking a couple months after I left. I'm here now and he's bigger."
Lance Cpl. Lance Yoder, 21, of Goshen, was met by his family, most wearing specially made welcome home shirts.A junior history major at Purdue University, Yoder left school to serve his country.
"Coming home is like a big dream," Yoder said. "You think about it for seven months, then all of a sudden it just happens."
Company B spent much of its time in Iraq near Fallujah. It returned to Camp Pendleton, Calif., Tuesday.
Just slightly behind schedule, the Southwest charter jet carrying Company B touched down at the South Bend Regional Airport at 5:11 p.m.Eight minutes later, the first Marine stepped off the plane. A burst of applause and finger whistles came from a small group of friends and relatives behind a runway fence.
The Marines then grabbed their packs and began boarding four idling Transpo buses for their ride across town to the Armed Forces Reserve Center on Kemble Avenue.
"They're very excited to be home," said Maj. Celeste Ross, who flew to Camp Pendleton just so she could fly back with the company. "As soon as the plane landed they started cheering."
During the final four-mile ride from the airport to the reserve center thousands of people lined the procession route. The four buses were escorted by more than 20 emergency vehicles -- sirens blaring -- and a good 60 to 70 motorcycles driven by members of the Patriot Guard Riders.
It looked more like a Veteran's Day parade than a motorcade. People held signs reading "Support Our Troops," and "Welcome Home, Company B."Along Lincoln Way West, screen doors burst open and smiling residents ran outside waving and pointing as the Marines rode past.
Children with no shirts and holding basketballs under their arms stopped their games to see the Marines.
"It was mind-blowing to see so many people," said Lance Cpl. Steve Gruza, 22, of Elkhart. "I'm a little surprised."
A South Bend police officer blocking the intersection of Lincoln Way and Cushing Street saluted as the line of vehicles passed.
Once the procession hit Kemble Avenue, the crowd grew more dense, as well as more tense with anticipation. This is where the families came to meet their Marines.Clarice Balmer of Lakeville celebrated her 79th birthday waiting to see her beloved grandson, Lance Cpl. Lawrence Balmer, 20, return.
"I cried when the plane touched down," Clarice Balmer said. "He was number 20 off the plane. I can't even explain how it feels. I've been waiting for this ever since they left. I've shed a lot of tears since then."
Red carpet awaited the Marines as they got off the buses. Family members stood on tip-toes and craned their necks to spot their loved ones.
One little girl, about 2 or 3, found her dad and didn't let go of him for about 15 minutes.
"I missed you so much," he kept repeating to her.Even U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-2nd, was wiping tears from his eyes as he watched the many reunions unfolding in front of him.
Still, there was one reunion that didn't occur Saturday.
The parents of Cpl. Aaron Seal led the four Transpo buses from the airport to the reserve center on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Seal, 23, was killed by a sniper on Oct. 1, 2006 in Baghdad. He was the only Marine from Company B lost during either deployment.
Company B was also in Iraq for about two months in 2003.For David Dunn, Seal's father, Saturday mixed his emotions pretty good.
"It's kind of hard, that's for sure," Dunn said before the plane landed. "I wasn't even going to come up, but I'm here, just playing it by ear."
In the end, Dunn said he owed it to the Marines coming home to be there when they got off the plane.
"Today is about Company B, and I wanted to be here to show my support," he said. "I'm sure a lot of them are going through a tough time. We just have to face it and move on."
At the reserve center, Dunn and his wife, Lori, stayed and visited in an understated manner. Not many people knew who they were.Every once in a while, though, a Marine would come up to them, hug them, and tell them what a great man their son was. Dunn would nod and say "thank you."
At about 7:15 p.m. the Marines of Company B gathered in formation for final roll call.
Maj. Mark Boone took a moment to thank the families of Company B, which he said performed 178 combat missions and received 39 personal decorations, seven of which were for valor.
"These Marines have met my expectations, then exceeded those expectations," Boone told families in a booming voice. "I'm a better man for serving with these Marines."
Boone also singled out Seal, saying he was the needle in Company B's compass.At 7:22 p.m., Boone dismissed Company B.
Lance Cpl. Ben Martin, 20, was happy he had served and that his mission was complete. He didn't expect to see as many people as there were on the streets and at the reserve center to welcome them back.
"It feels so much better than being over there," said Martin, who is from Osceola. "A lot of stress has been lifted off our shoulders.
His girlfriend, 19-year-old Veronica Collmer of Granger, agrees. For her, and for the masses standing around her world Saturday, it has been a long seven months.
"I'm just so glad to have him home again," Collmer said, her eyes still watery and her arms still firmly wrapped around Martin's waist. "When he got off that bus, it was like there was nobody else around. That's how it felt. It was just the two of us again."
Staff writer Michael Wanbaugh:
mwanbaugh@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6176
Ellie