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thedrifter
04-29-07, 07:00 AM
Marines Receive Warm Homecoming

April 28, 2007 09:03 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Just back from Iraq, a group of Nashville Marines received a hero's welcome home in West Nashville Saturday night.

For the loved ones of these 68 soldiers, the last seven months have been worrisome.

And for one family, the homecoming was a somber reminder that their soldier was not coming home.

NewsChannel 5's Brent Frazier is live outside the Marines' home base, on White Bridge Road.

If life is full of ups and downs, the event represents one of Ashleigh Owen's happier moments.

One of her darkest days?

"Sept. 21st, I think," Owen said.

It was the day her husband and high school sweetheart was shipped off to Iraq with his fellow military members of the Third Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment.

"Of course, I have to worry every day about what's going on," Owen said. "I hope and pray that every morning when I wake up I'll hear from him that night or get an email or something like that. It's very dangerous over there."

Sometimes danger gets the best of a soldier.

Staff Sgt. Marcus Golczynski of Lewisburg was not among the soldiers who returned this weekend.

"He never hesitated to go back. He believed in what he was doing and he died doing for his country," said his father Henry Golczynski.

At 30 years old, Golczynski was killed in late March during his second tour of duty.

The Owens are some of the lucky ones.

Marine Lance Cpl. Danny Owen will get to see his family again.

"What do you want to put on here, Ava," Owen said to their 8-month old daughter.

She commands most of her daddy's attention.

"She gets all the lovin," Ashleigh Owen said. "I'm a little jealous -- a little jealous."

Ellie