thedrifter
04-19-09, 08:50 AM
3 soldiers receive warm homecoming
By Erin McKeon
The Facts
Published April 19, 2009
It wasn’t the thunder from a storm that surprised three soldiers Saturday, it was the cacophony of motorcycles, ambulances, fire trucks and car horns that blasted as they rode to welcome the soldiers home.
Marine Pvt. Aaron Dawson, 18, of Friendswood was left near-speechless as he faced a crowd of Brazoria County Cavalry members Saturday morning.
“I had no idea this was coming,” Dawson said. “I didn’t think the Marine Corps meant this much to this many people.”
That’s when a voice from the crowd said, “You mean this much,” bringing a shocked look to Dawson’s face.
Dawson’s mother, Dianne Adams, also was in the Marines and is the reason he joined in January of this year, he said. He returned last week from basic training.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” Adams said. “I couldn’t be more scared, but I couldn’t be more proud.”
Dawson will leave Tuesday for Marine combat training at Camp Pendleton in Virginia and will leave there to attend military occupational specialty school in North Carolina before receiving his post assignment, he said.
Navy Seaman Master at Arms James Mann, 20 of Holiday Lakes returned from a 12-month tour in Diego Garcia on April 11 and will be deployed to Bahrain on May 11, he said.
Though tears choked his voice for a moment, Mann said he never expected to be honored for his service in the military, something he considers “just his job.”
“I joined because I kind of got talked into it and I ended up liking it,” he said.
Mann’s grandfather, Robert Allan, also was honored during the ceremony Saturday afternoon for his service in Vietnam.
“I just started thinking how we were treated when we came back,” Robert Allan said after the presentation. “I just couldn’t believe they would come out in the rain and do all that for us and ... well, I broke down.”
The tears were ones of happiness, he said, and were for himself and for his grandson.
April Allan said she’s glad to have her son home, even if it’s for a short time, and knows when he is deployed to Bahrain, it won’t be the last time they talk.
“I wanted my son to know that people care, people do care,” April Allan said. “I didn’t want him to go at first, but I was so proud of him for even thinking about it. I worry about him non-stop and I call him as often as I can.”
Army Spc. Jeremy Foster’s parents are thankful they won’t have to wait for the phone calls from their son anymore. Foster, 25, completed his 31?2 year stint in the military in February.
“If he didn’t call for four or five days, we were really concerned,” his father Jerry Foster said.
Foster of Angleton returned in February from a 15-month tour in Iraq and was welcomed home from deployment for the last time Saturday afternoon when Brazoria County Cavalry members filled his driveway.
“I wish y’all would have had this same thing,” Foster said to the Vietnam veterans amid the motorcyclists gathered to thank him. “For all my brothers about to head back over to Iraq, I ask for you all to pray for those guys. They’re going back off into the danger spots, and it’s hard watching them go and me having to stay.”
Foster was surprised to see everyone gather to thank him for his service in the military, but was humbled by the experience, he said.
“I don’t want to brag about the things I did,” Foster said. “Nothing I did makes me any better than anyone else that’s doing it now. I was just doing what I was told and I had a lot of fun.”
Erin McKeon is a reporter for The Facts. Contact her at (979) 237-0152.
Ellie
By Erin McKeon
The Facts
Published April 19, 2009
It wasn’t the thunder from a storm that surprised three soldiers Saturday, it was the cacophony of motorcycles, ambulances, fire trucks and car horns that blasted as they rode to welcome the soldiers home.
Marine Pvt. Aaron Dawson, 18, of Friendswood was left near-speechless as he faced a crowd of Brazoria County Cavalry members Saturday morning.
“I had no idea this was coming,” Dawson said. “I didn’t think the Marine Corps meant this much to this many people.”
That’s when a voice from the crowd said, “You mean this much,” bringing a shocked look to Dawson’s face.
Dawson’s mother, Dianne Adams, also was in the Marines and is the reason he joined in January of this year, he said. He returned last week from basic training.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” Adams said. “I couldn’t be more scared, but I couldn’t be more proud.”
Dawson will leave Tuesday for Marine combat training at Camp Pendleton in Virginia and will leave there to attend military occupational specialty school in North Carolina before receiving his post assignment, he said.
Navy Seaman Master at Arms James Mann, 20 of Holiday Lakes returned from a 12-month tour in Diego Garcia on April 11 and will be deployed to Bahrain on May 11, he said.
Though tears choked his voice for a moment, Mann said he never expected to be honored for his service in the military, something he considers “just his job.”
“I joined because I kind of got talked into it and I ended up liking it,” he said.
Mann’s grandfather, Robert Allan, also was honored during the ceremony Saturday afternoon for his service in Vietnam.
“I just started thinking how we were treated when we came back,” Robert Allan said after the presentation. “I just couldn’t believe they would come out in the rain and do all that for us and ... well, I broke down.”
The tears were ones of happiness, he said, and were for himself and for his grandson.
April Allan said she’s glad to have her son home, even if it’s for a short time, and knows when he is deployed to Bahrain, it won’t be the last time they talk.
“I wanted my son to know that people care, people do care,” April Allan said. “I didn’t want him to go at first, but I was so proud of him for even thinking about it. I worry about him non-stop and I call him as often as I can.”
Army Spc. Jeremy Foster’s parents are thankful they won’t have to wait for the phone calls from their son anymore. Foster, 25, completed his 31?2 year stint in the military in February.
“If he didn’t call for four or five days, we were really concerned,” his father Jerry Foster said.
Foster of Angleton returned in February from a 15-month tour in Iraq and was welcomed home from deployment for the last time Saturday afternoon when Brazoria County Cavalry members filled his driveway.
“I wish y’all would have had this same thing,” Foster said to the Vietnam veterans amid the motorcyclists gathered to thank him. “For all my brothers about to head back over to Iraq, I ask for you all to pray for those guys. They’re going back off into the danger spots, and it’s hard watching them go and me having to stay.”
Foster was surprised to see everyone gather to thank him for his service in the military, but was humbled by the experience, he said.
“I don’t want to brag about the things I did,” Foster said. “Nothing I did makes me any better than anyone else that’s doing it now. I was just doing what I was told and I had a lot of fun.”
Erin McKeon is a reporter for The Facts. Contact her at (979) 237-0152.
Ellie