thedrifter
05-29-07, 05:55 AM
Crowd sends Marines off
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 05/28/07
BY LARRY HIGGS
STAFF WRITER
MIDDLETOWN — As the first bus slowly climbed the driveway with the Marines 6th Motor Transport battalion aboard this morning, Barbara Redlich saw her son through the tinted windows and waved her last goodbye to him.
"There he is,'' she said loudly, as families, veterans and supporters applauded for the last time to the 55 Marines who left the Red Bank Armory on Newman Springs Road in Middletown for McGuire Air Force Base.
Her son, Lance Cpl. Michael Gregus of the Fords section of Woodbridge, saw her and waved a farewell back.
On Memorial Day, about 300 people gathered to send off the latest generation of warriors being deployed to Iraq.
Gregus, 21, left for his first tour of duty as part of the supply and munition lifeline. His mother had brief, sage advice.
"Just be safe and keep your guard up,'' said Redlich, of Manville. "And come back.''
Memorial Day breakfast and a ceremony for Marines who were deploying and their families was on Red Bank RiverCenter, American Recreation Military Services, the Red Bank Elks Lodge and a host of donors who provided food drink and gifts for
the send-off.
The outpouring of support made it a little easier for Lance Cpl. David Hausvater of the Bayville section of Berkley Township to return to Iraq for a second tour of duty.
"It's a big turnout. All the families are here,'' said Hausvater, 26,
What might be hardest for him is that his wife, Mi Hausvater, also a Marine, won't be deploying with him this time.
"I'm still in the reserves, but it's extra tough to stay behind,'' she said.
After leaving McGuire, the 6th will fly to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for training and to join the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force. They will then go to 29 Palms Marine base in California for additional training before being sent to Iraq for a six- to eight-month tour of duty. They are scheduled to return to the United States in March 2008.
Ellie
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 05/28/07
BY LARRY HIGGS
STAFF WRITER
MIDDLETOWN — As the first bus slowly climbed the driveway with the Marines 6th Motor Transport battalion aboard this morning, Barbara Redlich saw her son through the tinted windows and waved her last goodbye to him.
"There he is,'' she said loudly, as families, veterans and supporters applauded for the last time to the 55 Marines who left the Red Bank Armory on Newman Springs Road in Middletown for McGuire Air Force Base.
Her son, Lance Cpl. Michael Gregus of the Fords section of Woodbridge, saw her and waved a farewell back.
On Memorial Day, about 300 people gathered to send off the latest generation of warriors being deployed to Iraq.
Gregus, 21, left for his first tour of duty as part of the supply and munition lifeline. His mother had brief, sage advice.
"Just be safe and keep your guard up,'' said Redlich, of Manville. "And come back.''
Memorial Day breakfast and a ceremony for Marines who were deploying and their families was on Red Bank RiverCenter, American Recreation Military Services, the Red Bank Elks Lodge and a host of donors who provided food drink and gifts for
the send-off.
The outpouring of support made it a little easier for Lance Cpl. David Hausvater of the Bayville section of Berkley Township to return to Iraq for a second tour of duty.
"It's a big turnout. All the families are here,'' said Hausvater, 26,
What might be hardest for him is that his wife, Mi Hausvater, also a Marine, won't be deploying with him this time.
"I'm still in the reserves, but it's extra tough to stay behind,'' she said.
After leaving McGuire, the 6th will fly to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for training and to join the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force. They will then go to 29 Palms Marine base in California for additional training before being sent to Iraq for a six- to eight-month tour of duty. They are scheduled to return to the United States in March 2008.
Ellie