thedrifter
05-18-09, 05:41 AM
Marines' tearful farewell
By: AMANDA CREGAN
Bucks County Courier Times
Members of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 left for Afghanistan on Sunday, but first their families gave them one tearful sendoff at the naval air station in Horsham.
Marine families gathered for one last goodbye Sunday at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Horsham.
Emily Farren's eyes filled with tears knowing that her husband, Sgt. Greg Farren, won't be there for the July birth of their daughter.
"I'm scared out of my mind," she said.
Sgt. Farren joined his reserve unit, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 of Willow Grove, as it prepared to board transport planes and head to a base in Helmand Province, southwest Afghanistan, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, for a seven-month tour.
"There are all kinds of emotions," said Emily, of Warminster, whose extended family will help care for the couple's two children, Cordelia, 2, and Connor, 6.
"It's a give-and-take situation because there is also an immense pride. He does what he loves and it's not just a job," she said. "Right now the kids are excited. Our son says, 'I want to be a Marine just like my daddy.' "
Saying goodbye and seeing their husbands take off for dangerous territory wasn't easy for the Marines' wives.
"It started to hit me yesterday," said Danielle Hanko, of Bristol Township, who was there to send off her husband, Cpl. Dan Hanko. "It's the whole worrying thing that gets me."
"One way or another he'll come home. Hopefully, it'll be the better way," said Danielle. "Of any of the ones, I would think he would make sure he gets home and the guys around him get home. It's just hard to explain that to the 6-year-old."
Their 6-year-old son, Darius, proudly wore his daddy's cap and followed him through the airplane hangar. But the boy has been grappling with nightmares of his father's death and that the 'bad guys' were going to hurt him, said his mother.
Jessica Garcia has been through all of this before.
"I'm used to it. It's not the first time and I'm sure it's not the last. You learn to adapt," said the California native, who left her four small children at home with family and flew in to give her husband, Sgt. Joshua Garcia, one last hug and kiss as he embarked on his fourth tour of duty.
With all the worry ahead, wives, kids, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters were there Sunday with one purpose - to show the 200 men and women of the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 that they are here to support them as they leave and will be there to welcome them when they return.
Michelle Brooks drove from South Carolina to see her son, Sgt. Dustin Silvey, embark on his first tour of duty.
"It's unnerving with all the unknowns, but he's excited and ready for it," she said. "We just came to let him know that we care. We are the home front, and we're just here to show him we love him."
May 18, 2009 02:01 AM
Ellie
By: AMANDA CREGAN
Bucks County Courier Times
Members of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 left for Afghanistan on Sunday, but first their families gave them one tearful sendoff at the naval air station in Horsham.
Marine families gathered for one last goodbye Sunday at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Horsham.
Emily Farren's eyes filled with tears knowing that her husband, Sgt. Greg Farren, won't be there for the July birth of their daughter.
"I'm scared out of my mind," she said.
Sgt. Farren joined his reserve unit, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 of Willow Grove, as it prepared to board transport planes and head to a base in Helmand Province, southwest Afghanistan, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, for a seven-month tour.
"There are all kinds of emotions," said Emily, of Warminster, whose extended family will help care for the couple's two children, Cordelia, 2, and Connor, 6.
"It's a give-and-take situation because there is also an immense pride. He does what he loves and it's not just a job," she said. "Right now the kids are excited. Our son says, 'I want to be a Marine just like my daddy.' "
Saying goodbye and seeing their husbands take off for dangerous territory wasn't easy for the Marines' wives.
"It started to hit me yesterday," said Danielle Hanko, of Bristol Township, who was there to send off her husband, Cpl. Dan Hanko. "It's the whole worrying thing that gets me."
"One way or another he'll come home. Hopefully, it'll be the better way," said Danielle. "Of any of the ones, I would think he would make sure he gets home and the guys around him get home. It's just hard to explain that to the 6-year-old."
Their 6-year-old son, Darius, proudly wore his daddy's cap and followed him through the airplane hangar. But the boy has been grappling with nightmares of his father's death and that the 'bad guys' were going to hurt him, said his mother.
Jessica Garcia has been through all of this before.
"I'm used to it. It's not the first time and I'm sure it's not the last. You learn to adapt," said the California native, who left her four small children at home with family and flew in to give her husband, Sgt. Joshua Garcia, one last hug and kiss as he embarked on his fourth tour of duty.
With all the worry ahead, wives, kids, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters were there Sunday with one purpose - to show the 200 men and women of the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 that they are here to support them as they leave and will be there to welcome them when they return.
Michelle Brooks drove from South Carolina to see her son, Sgt. Dustin Silvey, embark on his first tour of duty.
"It's unnerving with all the unknowns, but he's excited and ready for it," she said. "We just came to let him know that we care. We are the home front, and we're just here to show him we love him."
May 18, 2009 02:01 AM
Ellie