Posted on 02/27/2005 6:34:47 AM PST by Born Conservative
Scranton solider, of 103rd Armor, says mission to Iraq was noble
SCRANTON (PA) – The chills Sean O’Shea felt Saturday morning weren’t from the cold.
The police escort, the bands, the cheers from people on the street and the safe return home from almost a year in Iraq overwhelmed the young soldier when the buses full of more than 150 troops from 2nd Battalion, 103rd Armor’s Charlie Company rolled along the route to the Watres Armory.
“Half of those people probably didn’t even have anybody in there,” said O’Shea, 20, of the crowds that turned out for the homecoming.
The Pennsylvania National Guardsman knew something awaited him, but even with the heads up, O’Shea said he was amazed at the turnout as he celebrated with family and friends and his two dogs at his home in the city’s Minooka section.
“The reception we’ve been getting, anywhere you go you wear that uniform people look at you and everybody says, ‘Thank you.’ It makes you feel good about it.”
Out of uniform and dressed in jeans and a blue and white, long-sleeve dress shirt, O’Shea planned to unwind and enjoy the comforts of his own bed, hot showers and life at a different pace. “I’m definitely sleeping in tomorrow.”
It will take some time to adjust to being back, said O’Shea, who holds the rank of specialist. In the short term, he wants to hang out for a while. In the long term, he plans to attend Bloomsburg University and major in political science.
The last time he was home to see his parents, Kevin and Nancy, and older brother Kevin was in June for two weeks leave, and the time flew by then. The year in Iraq couldn’t go by fast enough. He counted the days and marked them off as well. “I think I had about four different calendars thinking that one would move faster than the others.”
But the time was worth it, he said. “I’m definitely proud that I went over there. I’ll never let anybody tell me differently about it. I’m really happy with what I accomplished.”
He was stationed in Baghdad, but would not discuss specifics. “I can’t confirm or deny any special detail,” he said politely when asked if he was assigned any particular duty.
He’s changed from being in the military overseas. “You grow up fast,” he said.
He was just out of Bishop Hannan High School when he went to Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri for two months of advanced individual training. After that, his unit was called up for active duty.
The soldiers in Charlie Company depended upon each other to make it through the mission. The support from back home helped too.
And so did knowing that the soldiers were helping the Iraqi people, he said. “We’re definitely doing a lot of great things for these people over there. As long as they’ll have us, we’ll be over there.”
Now here's an honest-to-God Warrior . . . whether his job entailed carrying a gun or not.
I've programmed my BS-O-Meter to sniff out them who serve and them who TALK of serving.
Them braggarts who TALK of serving, never did . . . and we're ALWAYS lucky they didn't because most any Girl Scout Troop Leader could beat them in arm-wrestling (see Ward Churchill).
Them who "can't confirm or deny any special detail" are the true heroes and the ONLY reason we're the Greatest country the world has ever known.
Talk to any World War II veteran . . . it'll be short and sweet if you're not close, close, close family. Heroes do . . . Heroes don't talk.
Those goons are now in elected office and in tenured academia.
Thank God the younger generations have (mostly) cast off the crapola the 20-somethings of the 60's seemed to revel in.
here is a nice video from Anheuser Bush that a pal sent me a few days ago
Won't show up on my Media Player, says the URL is not correct. Can you try again?
works for me the url is right
try a right click and save as its a windows media format as well. I think a .wmv file
I wish our Vietnam vets were treated like this.
This is the honest truth.
I just spent over 3 years stationed in South Korea. When I finally came back in late January, it was just amazing to hear people actually come up to me and say "Thank you".
That's something you just do not get in South Korea; most times it's just a disgusted look or a muttered curse.
I still can't get over the small acts of kindness that have been shown to me since I returned.
A relative of my wife that I never knew very well but met on many occasions died a while ago. At the military funeral
I became aware he was a Marine and was at Iwo Jima, I never knew.
Ping
Welcome back, and thanks.
Welcome home and thank you for your service.
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