thedrifter
05-02-07, 06:48 AM
Father and son return from Iraq
Pair plans to sit, relax, enjoy family
Posted by the Ocean County Observer on 05/1/07
BY PAULA SCULLY
STAFF WRITER
TUCKERTON — Everyone in Tuckerton knew a father and son came home Saturday from an eight-month tour in Iraq together.
The Girl Scouts put signs all over town welcoming the two Marines. They even decorated the family's front lawn and had people asking who the family is.
Gunnery Sgt. Alfred "Buddy" Smith and his son Sgt. Matthew "Matt" Smith chose to serve together.
Buddy Smith, who is a reservist with Golf Battery 314 Marines in Trenton, was to be deployed to Iraq in September.
"We had just left Camp Lejune after firing weapons for 30 days and went to the desert to 29 Palms to do more work ups," Buddy Smith said.
"Matt was stationed in California and called up and asked, 'Do you have room for one more?' " his father said.
Whether a Marine can attach to a deployment depends on: whether there is room for the Marine, what the Marine's job is and whether he is needed by his unit and whether his unit can give him up for the deployment.
His son succeeded in joining him on his deployment to Iraq.
On the way over, they were excited to be serving together. Matt Smith said his father was a big reason why he had joined the Marines. Buddy Smith had joined the Marine Corps in 1975 on active duty. After leaving the Marine Corps for a period of time, he joined the reserves during the Desert Shield/Desert Storm era.
The father and son did not serve in the same areas of Iraq.
"Even though we were separated, we did work together in January. We went on a reconaissance mission together on the Euphrates River to assess its passibility," Buddy Smith said.
"Bridges had been damaged and a portion of the bridge sank. We started predawn and ended at night," he said.
Meanwhile at home, his wife, Debbie, would see the news of attacks in the area where they were.
"We never have problems. We only have solutions," Buddy Smith said. "We kept our minds on our mission and the troop welfare. You've got to keep the Marine on your left and the Marine on your right alive."
He mentioned an area that concerned her.
"No, we didn't have any of 'that other stuff,' " he said, referring to a battle.
"Here is the real hero in this whole story," Buddy Smith said, indicating his wife. "She kept us together."
"She kept me together," Matt Smith said. "I was once told the toughest job in the world was being a U.S. Marine. Now I think the toughest job is being the mom of a U.S. Marine."
"I'll never know if they were in danger," she said.
Father and son flew into North Carolina before they came back to New Jersey by bus.
"When we arrived in New Jersey April 12, we had 100 State Troopers escorting us over the bridge from Delaware," Buddy Smith said. "People were standing on the side of the road waving and holding signs. Even the bus driver who does this all the time had tears in his eyes."
"They arrived Saturday night," his wife said. "There were all these signs up. I went to the produce store earlier that day to buy vegetables and the woman said, 'Isn't this the best weekend?' I said, 'Yes, my husband and son are coming back from Iraq.' She was surprised they were my husband and son. She asked me if I had seen the signs and took me outside and showed me the signs."
The Smiths have four boys. The oldest, Drew, is a Stafford police officer, then Matt, Gordon who is graduating from college this year and their youngest, Dave.
"We were so full of adrenaline that no one even ate Saturday,' she said.
"It's good to be home," Buddy Smith said.
What is he going to do now?
"I want to come home, sit down and relax," he said. "No plans — just enjoy my family. We earned that. That's what we fought for. Anyone who complains should go for one day to a country that doesn't have the freedoms that we have and they would realize that what they have is priceless."
Ellie
Pair plans to sit, relax, enjoy family
Posted by the Ocean County Observer on 05/1/07
BY PAULA SCULLY
STAFF WRITER
TUCKERTON — Everyone in Tuckerton knew a father and son came home Saturday from an eight-month tour in Iraq together.
The Girl Scouts put signs all over town welcoming the two Marines. They even decorated the family's front lawn and had people asking who the family is.
Gunnery Sgt. Alfred "Buddy" Smith and his son Sgt. Matthew "Matt" Smith chose to serve together.
Buddy Smith, who is a reservist with Golf Battery 314 Marines in Trenton, was to be deployed to Iraq in September.
"We had just left Camp Lejune after firing weapons for 30 days and went to the desert to 29 Palms to do more work ups," Buddy Smith said.
"Matt was stationed in California and called up and asked, 'Do you have room for one more?' " his father said.
Whether a Marine can attach to a deployment depends on: whether there is room for the Marine, what the Marine's job is and whether he is needed by his unit and whether his unit can give him up for the deployment.
His son succeeded in joining him on his deployment to Iraq.
On the way over, they were excited to be serving together. Matt Smith said his father was a big reason why he had joined the Marines. Buddy Smith had joined the Marine Corps in 1975 on active duty. After leaving the Marine Corps for a period of time, he joined the reserves during the Desert Shield/Desert Storm era.
The father and son did not serve in the same areas of Iraq.
"Even though we were separated, we did work together in January. We went on a reconaissance mission together on the Euphrates River to assess its passibility," Buddy Smith said.
"Bridges had been damaged and a portion of the bridge sank. We started predawn and ended at night," he said.
Meanwhile at home, his wife, Debbie, would see the news of attacks in the area where they were.
"We never have problems. We only have solutions," Buddy Smith said. "We kept our minds on our mission and the troop welfare. You've got to keep the Marine on your left and the Marine on your right alive."
He mentioned an area that concerned her.
"No, we didn't have any of 'that other stuff,' " he said, referring to a battle.
"Here is the real hero in this whole story," Buddy Smith said, indicating his wife. "She kept us together."
"She kept me together," Matt Smith said. "I was once told the toughest job in the world was being a U.S. Marine. Now I think the toughest job is being the mom of a U.S. Marine."
"I'll never know if they were in danger," she said.
Father and son flew into North Carolina before they came back to New Jersey by bus.
"When we arrived in New Jersey April 12, we had 100 State Troopers escorting us over the bridge from Delaware," Buddy Smith said. "People were standing on the side of the road waving and holding signs. Even the bus driver who does this all the time had tears in his eyes."
"They arrived Saturday night," his wife said. "There were all these signs up. I went to the produce store earlier that day to buy vegetables and the woman said, 'Isn't this the best weekend?' I said, 'Yes, my husband and son are coming back from Iraq.' She was surprised they were my husband and son. She asked me if I had seen the signs and took me outside and showed me the signs."
The Smiths have four boys. The oldest, Drew, is a Stafford police officer, then Matt, Gordon who is graduating from college this year and their youngest, Dave.
"We were so full of adrenaline that no one even ate Saturday,' she said.
"It's good to be home," Buddy Smith said.
What is he going to do now?
"I want to come home, sit down and relax," he said. "No plans — just enjoy my family. We earned that. That's what we fought for. Anyone who complains should go for one day to a country that doesn't have the freedoms that we have and they would realize that what they have is priceless."
Ellie