thedrifter
04-26-08, 06:49 AM
Area Marines return to Kennett from Iraq
Friday, April 25, 2008
Trina Bell
Five area Marines will be returning home this Saturday, after serving nearly one year in the country of Iraq.
Kennett Mayor Roger Wheeler said, "Kennett is on the verge of a great celebration. Five of our native sons will be returning from Iraq very soon. To be specific, they shoud arrive in Kennett around 2 a.m. on Sunday, April 27.
"Kennett should be prepared to greet and honor these young men. The time of day is not real appropriate for those of us who may wish to greet our service men. However, it is but a small investment if you consider what they have been up against."
On Saturday, May 12, 2007, parents and friends of area Marines Joshua Wilcoxson, Miles Richardson, Will Pruett, Riley Cook and Chris Taylor gathered for a farewell reception held at SEMO Produce at Kennett.
On May 17, 2007, the five young men set out to prepare themselves for war. On April 27, 2008, they come home.
For two of the five Marines, this completes their second tour of duty in Iraq. Cook and Taylor have both served two tours of duty. Cook is a 2005 graduate of Holcomb High School. He is the son of Tommy Cook and Annette Cook.
Taylor is a 2000 Kennett High School graduate and he is the son of Mike and Judy Taylor.
Also returning home are Marines Miles Richardson, a 2004 Kennett High School graduate, who is the son of Terry Richardson and Cindy Richardson, Will Pruett, a 2005 Kennett High School graduate, son of David and Cindy Henderson, and Josh Wilcoxson, a 2003 Kennett High School graduate, and son of Daryl and Vicky Wilcoxson.
The Marines motto is: Kilo 3/23. "Be on your guard; stand firm in faith; Be men of courage; Be strong", (1 Corinthians 16:13).
Wheeler added, "I invite everyone to tie a yellow ribbon on something for our young men to see. It is a little bit ahead of schedule, but our City Light, Gas, and Water crews will attempt to place as many flags as possible in their holders along First and St. Francis Streets.
"I would like to encourage our merchants to make up any form of "Welcome Home" sign and place them in a highly visible location on their store fronts.
"I have invited the Key Club from our high school to put together what they can on very short notice. I have every confidence they will do something special."
The mayor also indicated that he is supposed to receive a telephone call about 30 minutes before the men arrive at Kennett. He said, "Our police department will dispatch escort vehicles to the city limits for the last leg of the trip.
"The route will follow all the way through town to Southwest Drive, turning off Southwest Drive onto Avenue 'A' leading into Linden Circle, terminating at 304 W. Linden Circle -- the home of Daryl and Vickie Wilcoxson.
"We would like to have Avenue 'A' and parts of Linden Circle lined with people holding lighted candles to honor these men."
Ellie
Friday, April 25, 2008
Trina Bell
Five area Marines will be returning home this Saturday, after serving nearly one year in the country of Iraq.
Kennett Mayor Roger Wheeler said, "Kennett is on the verge of a great celebration. Five of our native sons will be returning from Iraq very soon. To be specific, they shoud arrive in Kennett around 2 a.m. on Sunday, April 27.
"Kennett should be prepared to greet and honor these young men. The time of day is not real appropriate for those of us who may wish to greet our service men. However, it is but a small investment if you consider what they have been up against."
On Saturday, May 12, 2007, parents and friends of area Marines Joshua Wilcoxson, Miles Richardson, Will Pruett, Riley Cook and Chris Taylor gathered for a farewell reception held at SEMO Produce at Kennett.
On May 17, 2007, the five young men set out to prepare themselves for war. On April 27, 2008, they come home.
For two of the five Marines, this completes their second tour of duty in Iraq. Cook and Taylor have both served two tours of duty. Cook is a 2005 graduate of Holcomb High School. He is the son of Tommy Cook and Annette Cook.
Taylor is a 2000 Kennett High School graduate and he is the son of Mike and Judy Taylor.
Also returning home are Marines Miles Richardson, a 2004 Kennett High School graduate, who is the son of Terry Richardson and Cindy Richardson, Will Pruett, a 2005 Kennett High School graduate, son of David and Cindy Henderson, and Josh Wilcoxson, a 2003 Kennett High School graduate, and son of Daryl and Vicky Wilcoxson.
The Marines motto is: Kilo 3/23. "Be on your guard; stand firm in faith; Be men of courage; Be strong", (1 Corinthians 16:13).
Wheeler added, "I invite everyone to tie a yellow ribbon on something for our young men to see. It is a little bit ahead of schedule, but our City Light, Gas, and Water crews will attempt to place as many flags as possible in their holders along First and St. Francis Streets.
"I would like to encourage our merchants to make up any form of "Welcome Home" sign and place them in a highly visible location on their store fronts.
"I have invited the Key Club from our high school to put together what they can on very short notice. I have every confidence they will do something special."
The mayor also indicated that he is supposed to receive a telephone call about 30 minutes before the men arrive at Kennett. He said, "Our police department will dispatch escort vehicles to the city limits for the last leg of the trip.
"The route will follow all the way through town to Southwest Drive, turning off Southwest Drive onto Avenue 'A' leading into Linden Circle, terminating at 304 W. Linden Circle -- the home of Daryl and Vickie Wilcoxson.
"We would like to have Avenue 'A' and parts of Linden Circle lined with people holding lighted candles to honor these men."
Ellie