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thedrifter
06-14-03, 10:24 PM
147 U.S. Marines return home

By Trace Christenson
The Enquirer

For the first time in a long time, U.S. Marines were seeing colors.

"They told us don't be surprised when you are looking at all the colors," Pfc. Lacole White of Benton Harbor said Friday. "It's so bright out here."

White was one of 147 Marines from the Engineer Support Company and Bridge Company A in Battle Creek who returned home Friday after five months in Iraq.

And after weeks and weeks of tan uniforms and sand, White and the rest were greeted with hundreds of family and friends with red, white and blue flags, shirts, balloons, signs and flowers.

With two motorcycle officers from Battle Creek Police Department, officers from the Springfield Department of Public Safety and a ladder truck from the Battle Creek Fire Department as escorts, two charter buses pulled into a parking lot at the Marine Reserve Center in Fort Custer. Several Marines were riding the roofs, waving flags and waving as the crowd let out a prolonged cheer.

The Marines were flown from California and bused from the Battle Creek/Kalamazoo International Airport through Battle Creek, including a lap around the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center and then back to the Marine Reserve Center.

Then, still dressed as Marines but clutching red roses, they stood in formation as their commander, Major Michael Barrett spoke to the crowd.

"I have brought your Marines home today," he said, reminding them that they left in January in bitter cold and snow and went to blistering heat.

"We didn't know what they were in for, but they served the Corps and our country, extremely well."

The group built roads and trucked millions of gallons of fuel and water, he said.

"They have performed extremely well," Barrett said. "So take care of my Marines. Now they are your Marines and they are your heroes."

As the Marines fanned across the lot, looking for loved ones, White and Pfc. Richard Skursky of Jackson headed in the same direction.

Both were about to meet children for the first time.

Skursky's wife, Tonya, was holding his son, Gavin, born March 31, and White's fiancee, Janca Taylor, was holding Kobe, born April 8.

As they waited for their men, both women said life has been difficult for the last five months, giving birth and caring for their children while worried about their Marines sent off to war.

"It's something you can't put into words," Tonya Skursky said. "I got one letter on April 30 asking me what our son's name was and that was 30 days after he was born."

Taylor said her life, too, has been difficult, with little contact between she and White, even as their baby was being born.

And both women said the separation was even more difficult because they only had 24 hours notice of their departure.

"Less than 24 hours notice and they were out of our arms," Tonya Skursky said.

Richard Skursky said his new child is beautiful. He held him and hugged his other two children and wife.

"I want to go home and spend time with my family and try to get away from it all," he said.

White, who called the homecoming overwhelming, said hewas looking forward to lot of things, including "taking a bath and just soaking."

Rayanne Knapp of Mount Pleasant was in Battle Creek to greet her son Ryan Knapp of Ludington, one of three of her boys who served during the Iraq war.

Ryan, the oldest, was standing next to her, on a cell phone talking to his father, while her youngest son is expected back with his U.S. Army unit soon and her middle son still is on a Navy ship.

"It's been very tough," she said. "I have been watching TV 24/7. I never shut it off."

The hardest part has been not being able to talk to Ryan, she said.

"There have been a lot of prayers to bring him home."

Ryan Knapp said he was looking forward to some simple reminders he was back.

"I want to relax, go for a ride and eat some of Mom's home cooking. All the good stuff."

Trace Christenson covers crime and courts. He can be reached at 966-0685 or tchrist@battlecr.gannett.com

Originally published Saturday, June 14, 2003


http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/news/stories/20030614/localnews/476508.html

Sempers,

Roger

thedrifter
06-14-03, 10:25 PM
More than 80 Marines coming home


Jun 14, 2003

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More than 80 Marines assigned to Marine Attack Squadron-214 are due to return to Yuma on Sunday after serving in Japan for a year.

They represent the bulk of a 150-member detachment from the Harrier squadron that was deployed with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to Iwakuni, Japan, in June 2002.

Six Harriers and the 50 remaining support personnel assigned to the detachment are expected to arrive early next week.

Most deployments with the MEU last six months, but 214 remained in Japan for a year because of operational requirements, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma officials said.

Another detachment from 214 was deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Its return date has not been set.

Another Yuma-based Harrier squadron, Marine Attack Squadron-311, also has been split into two detachments, with one serving in the gulf aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard and the other on regularly scheduled deployment with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Return dates have not been set for either detachment.

http://yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_5863.shtml


Sempers,

Roger