PDA

View Full Version : Marines receive jubilant welcome



thedrifter
05-08-03, 06:35 AM
Marines receive jubilant welcome

SIGNONSANDIEGO NEWS SERVICES
7:13 a.m., May 7, 2003


SAN DIEGO – Hundreds of Marines from Camp Pendleton and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar received a jubilant pre-dawn welcome today on their return from war duty in Iraq.

Military families and friends at both San Diego-area installations hugged and kissed their loved ones as they returned to their bases early this morning.

The first group, about 180 members of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11, arrived at about 1 a.m. by plane to resounding cheers at MCAS Miramar.

The oldest and largest squadron in the Corps, also known as the "Devilfish" unit, deployed to the war zone in late January to provide aviation logistics support to Marine Aircraft Group 11.

Later in the morning, members of the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 arrived by bus at Camp Pendleton to a somewhat more somber greeting.

Two members of the squadron, Capt. Travis Ford, 30, and Capt. Benjamin Sammis, 29, were killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"Ben Sammis and Travis Ford, two of my Cobra crews, paid the ultimate price and we should always remember this when we think of the Marines and all of the soldier, sailors and airmen who fought in the war, and remember their sacrifice," said Lt. Col Steve Haywood during the welcome ceremony.

Sammis and Ford were killed when their Super Cobra gunship crashed on April 5 while retuning from a mission near Baghdad.

Earlier this week, the 150-member USMC All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225 became the first full unit to return to MCAS Miramar from the Middle East war.

Two dozen of the "Vikings" arrived in a formation of 12 F/A-18 Hornets in the mid-afternoon Monday, the rest via commercial jetliner later in the day.


Sempers,

Roger

DanBO
05-08-03, 07:12 AM
Welcome Home my Brothers! We are all very proud of you.

"Semper Fi Mac"