Marines come home in time for Easter

[thedrifter]

Marines come home in time for Easter

Posted Mar. 22, 2008
Updated 10:01 PM

New Haven(WTNH) _ Twenty-six members of the 6th Motor Transport Battallion returned to New Haven today after spending about seven months in Iraq.

They were given a warm welcome home Saturday. The reservists were escorted back into the Elm City by the Patriot Guard and a sea motorcycles. Flags, friends and former Marine News Channel 8's Gil Simmons were there to say 'thank you.'

"How does it feel to be back?"
"Best feeling in the world, put a lot of hard work in a lot of build up, got the mission accomplished can't tell you how good it feels, proud to be doing this for my country, my family, my unit here," Marine Reservist L. Cpl. Andrew Plante."Just happy to be home my family is here everyone I just want to go home and spent time with them."

L. Cpl. Plante says the first thing he wanted to do was take a nap well deserved rest.

The unit spent much of their time in the dangerous Al Anbar Province leading convoys in the desert and helping resupply troops. The reservists are proud to have done their part and eager to get some R&R with the people they love.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Local Marines Home Just In Time For Easter

This year will be a very happy Easter weekend for no less than a dozen local Marine families. Their sons and husbands are returning safely from Iraq.

The 12 Wichita Marines from the 4th Maintenance Battalion, stepped foot back on their home soil Saturday morning. They've been away for seven months. For some, life has changed a lot. Lance Corporal Preston Black holds his baby daughter for the first time.

"I got to be on the phone with her through the whole thing, but I sure did miss being here," says Black.

Then there is Sergeant Garett Powell... home just in time to see his daughter born. His wife Megan is due next month.

"We're going to talk about a name now that I'm back," Powell says. "We couldn't decide over the email and the phone, so we decided we'd figure it out face to face."

Every Marine was met with hugs, kisses, and welcome home signs. And in some cases, tears of joy from mothers relieved to finally have them home.

"Oh, it's awesome," says Debbie Powell, Garret's mother. "We've just been waiting so long for them to arrive safely home. And they have."

Members of the American Legion lined the halls of Mid-Continent Airport for a true hero homecoming. These are twelve men home to stay and ready to relax.

Ellie