thedrifter
05-08-03, 09:55 PM
Thursday, May 8, 2003
'I just want to go home'
Joshua Busby was relieved to be back from Iraq with his wife, kids – and McDonald's.
By BILL RAMS
The Orange County Register
CAMP PENDLETON – Capt. Joshua Busby hugged his wife so hard, he lifted her off the ground.
Then he kissed her and picked up his infant son, Andrew, and kissed him, too.
"How you doing Cameron?" he asked his stepson, 4, rubbing his head. "You been a good boy for Mommy?"
Just after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Busby smiled at his wide-awake children, who smiled back. He laughed. His wife cried.
And around them, more than 350 Marines from the "Stingers" helicopter squadron and their families celebrated their safe return from the war in Iraq.
Starting Tuesday, Busby and the others traveled more than 40 hours from Kuwait to Germany, then to New Jersey. They finally landed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar about midnight Wednesday morning.
Then the Marines were bused to Pendleton, where family members waited, in some cases for hours, in a hangar stocked with hot dogs, sodas and Yum Yum donuts.
Wearing a new brown-and- tan Nordstrom jacket and pants suit, Wendy Busby stood on a chair and waved a yellow sign with her husband's name on it when the buses pulled up.
"We could hear y'all even though the windows were up," Josh Busby said of the cheering. "We got a police escort all the way here and didn't have to stop at a single red light. It was awesome.
"I'm glad to be home."
Wendy Busby, 30, was glad he was home, too. She kissed him again. Cameron showed him the sign.
His wife asked what he wanted to do.
Go to McDonald's to eat a cheeseburger and fries? Eat the beef stew and brownies she made, just in case McDonald's was closed?
"I'm tired," said Josh Busby, who had barely slept. "I just want to go home."
So home they went.
Before "washing the smell of Kuwait off me" Josh Busby called his parents in Illinois.
Then he and his wife talked.
He told her about how scared he was when he flew into Iraq the day after the war started. He told her how the weather was as dangerous to him - if not more so - than the enemy. The Huey helicopter pilot told her how he missed her and the boys and prayed for their reunion every morning and night.
The boys woke him up about 6:30 a.m. The family went to breakfast.
"I can't tell you how good it was to eat a real egg today at Denny's," he said.
Much better than the ice cream in the desert that "tasted like deodorant must taste," he said.
Over breakfast, the couple planned their next few weeks: Disney's California Adventure for Cameron; Illinois to visit Busby's parents, then, Wendy said, a vacation at a surprise spot for their second wedding anniversary, their first that they will spend together.
They joked about who lost more weight: Wendy lost 15 pounds, Josh lost 20.
Then it was off to Stud Cuts in San Clemente to get a buzz cut and the Mission Viejo mall to replace the Oakley sunglasses that were destroyed in the desert. He stopped at McDonald's and finally had the burger. He enjoyed the Coke most because there was no ice in the Middle East.
By mid-afternoon, the Busbys were lounging at home. Andrew, who turns 1 next month, stared at his dad.
"I think he's starting to recognize me again," he said.
But how long will that last?
Busby's unit will ship out again in about six weeks. This time, he'll go to Okinawa for a six-month tour.
No one is happy about it.
By the end of 2003, Josh Busby will be lucky to have spent eight weeks at home.
Wendy Busby said she's not going to let that fact interfere with the six weeks they have together now.
"Do I want to go away again? No, I don't," Josh Busby said. "But that's what I signed up for."
Now a war veteran, Josh Busby said he believes America did the right thing by deposing Saddam Hussein's regime. He said he is happy with the response so far.
"I think we proved how insignificant that little tyrant was," he said. "I feel good to be part of it."
But he expects Japan to be his final tour of duty.
"One more time, and then I'm just going to be dad and husband," he said.
Sempers,
Roger
http://www.ocregister.com/newsimages/news/2003/05/050803busby5.jpg
SATISFY THE CRAVING: At about noon, Joshua Busby, 29, of San Clemente, right, lifts up son Andrew, 11 months, while waiting for his coveted cheeseburger and fries from McDonald’s.
BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE REGISTER
'I just want to go home'
Joshua Busby was relieved to be back from Iraq with his wife, kids – and McDonald's.
By BILL RAMS
The Orange County Register
CAMP PENDLETON – Capt. Joshua Busby hugged his wife so hard, he lifted her off the ground.
Then he kissed her and picked up his infant son, Andrew, and kissed him, too.
"How you doing Cameron?" he asked his stepson, 4, rubbing his head. "You been a good boy for Mommy?"
Just after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Busby smiled at his wide-awake children, who smiled back. He laughed. His wife cried.
And around them, more than 350 Marines from the "Stingers" helicopter squadron and their families celebrated their safe return from the war in Iraq.
Starting Tuesday, Busby and the others traveled more than 40 hours from Kuwait to Germany, then to New Jersey. They finally landed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar about midnight Wednesday morning.
Then the Marines were bused to Pendleton, where family members waited, in some cases for hours, in a hangar stocked with hot dogs, sodas and Yum Yum donuts.
Wearing a new brown-and- tan Nordstrom jacket and pants suit, Wendy Busby stood on a chair and waved a yellow sign with her husband's name on it when the buses pulled up.
"We could hear y'all even though the windows were up," Josh Busby said of the cheering. "We got a police escort all the way here and didn't have to stop at a single red light. It was awesome.
"I'm glad to be home."
Wendy Busby, 30, was glad he was home, too. She kissed him again. Cameron showed him the sign.
His wife asked what he wanted to do.
Go to McDonald's to eat a cheeseburger and fries? Eat the beef stew and brownies she made, just in case McDonald's was closed?
"I'm tired," said Josh Busby, who had barely slept. "I just want to go home."
So home they went.
Before "washing the smell of Kuwait off me" Josh Busby called his parents in Illinois.
Then he and his wife talked.
He told her about how scared he was when he flew into Iraq the day after the war started. He told her how the weather was as dangerous to him - if not more so - than the enemy. The Huey helicopter pilot told her how he missed her and the boys and prayed for their reunion every morning and night.
The boys woke him up about 6:30 a.m. The family went to breakfast.
"I can't tell you how good it was to eat a real egg today at Denny's," he said.
Much better than the ice cream in the desert that "tasted like deodorant must taste," he said.
Over breakfast, the couple planned their next few weeks: Disney's California Adventure for Cameron; Illinois to visit Busby's parents, then, Wendy said, a vacation at a surprise spot for their second wedding anniversary, their first that they will spend together.
They joked about who lost more weight: Wendy lost 15 pounds, Josh lost 20.
Then it was off to Stud Cuts in San Clemente to get a buzz cut and the Mission Viejo mall to replace the Oakley sunglasses that were destroyed in the desert. He stopped at McDonald's and finally had the burger. He enjoyed the Coke most because there was no ice in the Middle East.
By mid-afternoon, the Busbys were lounging at home. Andrew, who turns 1 next month, stared at his dad.
"I think he's starting to recognize me again," he said.
But how long will that last?
Busby's unit will ship out again in about six weeks. This time, he'll go to Okinawa for a six-month tour.
No one is happy about it.
By the end of 2003, Josh Busby will be lucky to have spent eight weeks at home.
Wendy Busby said she's not going to let that fact interfere with the six weeks they have together now.
"Do I want to go away again? No, I don't," Josh Busby said. "But that's what I signed up for."
Now a war veteran, Josh Busby said he believes America did the right thing by deposing Saddam Hussein's regime. He said he is happy with the response so far.
"I think we proved how insignificant that little tyrant was," he said. "I feel good to be part of it."
But he expects Japan to be his final tour of duty.
"One more time, and then I'm just going to be dad and husband," he said.
Sempers,
Roger
http://www.ocregister.com/newsimages/news/2003/05/050803busby5.jpg
SATISFY THE CRAVING: At about noon, Joshua Busby, 29, of San Clemente, right, lifts up son Andrew, 11 months, while waiting for his coveted cheeseburger and fries from McDonald’s.
BRUCE CHAMBERS, THE REGISTER