Posted on 01/17/2006 10:59:47 PM PST by Swordmaker
Hugs, kisses after seeing war up close
The shrieking and shouting, the first signs of tears and trembling hands, began at 1:57 p.m. as men, women and children stood on folding metal chairs Monday to peer over a tall fence onto the tarmac at Sacramento International Airport. . . .
. . . Then came the roar. And more tears - tears of joy and anticipation and frayed nerves. The chartered jet was in view, taxiing toward them.
War-weary California National Guardsmen were arriving after 18 months away from home - a full year of it in the thick of combat in Iraq. The returning guardsmen are members of the Modesto-based 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, which has seen some of the heaviest action and had one of the highest injury tolls of any unit of its kind since the Korean War, authorities said. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
It is always difficult to plan a get together when the most people will be able to attend. A couple of years ago, we settled on the Saturday after Labor Day so people could make plans early.
We do have Support the Troops Rallies the first Friday of every month. When people from out of town join us, we try to do something special for dinner.
I would love to have two picnics a year but I think many will pick one and skip the other. Having one a year seems to make it special and FReepers make an extra effort to join us.
I hope you will consider joining us on a Friday night for the Rally and dinner.
|
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
