Coming Home - 184th returns to hero's welcome!!! Greg's Men!

The Sacramento Bee ^ | 1/17/2006 | By Blair Anthony Robertson and Elizabeth Hume

[La Enchiladita]

He's a sight for sore eyes, ain't he?
Ain't you, Greg? We're so glad to have you back in the Golden State, U.S.A.!!
Woo-hoo!!

I want to thank you, Greg, again and again, for what you've done for us.
You are a hero and true patriots appreciate you. Be proud.
I want to also thank your family for bravely enduring the separation and the risk.

Ruth, you really gave me way too much mention there.
I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and am honored to witness to the service and sacrifice of your son.

[Syncro]

Welcome Home Greg! Thanks for keeping out Country safe, You Da Man!

RuthE here are a couple of the pictures you took:

I'm not going to say anything about the look on Greg's face, but I do know there is no beer in Iraq...
That is Greg's wife, his Mom, and his Nephew.

Greg's Brother and his Brother's Daughter.



Greg was announced to the restaurant as just returning from Iraq and Crowned King of Heros by the staff! He got a strong round of applause and thanks from many of the folks in the crab joint that afternoon.



If you look closely at the right side of the picture you will see that Greg (ex-cop that he is) busted that guy as having a break-apart cane.

It holds about 200 Ml of Glenfeddich...

Thanks for the pictures SoldiersPrayingMom.

[Just A Nobody]

Great photos Syncro! Thanks for the ping!

Greg and all, look very happy and thankful to be together.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Thank so much for that ping Syn. What a nice looking family! It looks like everyone was celebrating and having fun. I am so pleased to see Greg in good spirits. He really scared us last month, didn't he?

God bless all of our troops and their families.

[PleaDeal]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Welcome home Greg!

[Albion Wilde]

Thanks, Syncro!

Thank you, Greg! Wishing you continued joy and love!

[Liberty Valance]

Welcome Home Greg and all the 184th! Thank you!

[Ladysmith]

[JustAmy]

It brings tears to my eyes everytime I read about our troops returning home to a hero's welcome.

Welcome Home, Greg.

Ruth ..... give him a big hug from the FResno FReepers.

Syncro ..... thanks for the ping.

[SoldiersPrayingMom]

Speaking of bringing tears to your eyes....jmpmstr4u2's younger brother Phil and his daughter that attended the last Fresno Freeper picnic, and a friend of
mine went to the Homecoming for the 1/184th INF, eventhough SFC Greg wasn't coming with them. We were there for both Bravo Co and Delta Co. The last one, Charlie Co. didn't arrive until 8pm that evening.

Just watching the excitement and anticipation of everyone waiting their loved ones to land and come across the runway sent tears rolling down my cheeks and I couldn't stop. They were tears of joy for all of the families that had waited, worried and prayed and endured like soldiers of the home fires that they are. It was really a precious time and I'll probably do it again for others coming home. It was truly a delight to put my Kansas farm girl whistle to work for a great cause.....Welcoming Home Our Heroes!!

I was so happy that none of the pinkos showed up with all of their jeers and our Heroes didn't have to hear all their screeching.

That's one thing I believe SFC Greg said he wanted to do is come to the next picnic, so he can meet you patriots that have been such a great support to him while he was deployed.

[Mama_Bear]

Thanks for posting this thread, Swordmaker. I love reading the reports of our heroes returning to the arms of their loved ones.

That's one thing I believe SFC Greg said he wanted to do is come to the next picnic, so he can meet you patriots that have been such a great support to him while he was deployed.

Oh, that would be wonderful! I would love to meet him and thank him in person for his service. Greg is an American hero! And you, SoldiersPrayingMom, are the mother of a true hero. I can imagine how proud you are, and how relieved you are that he is home.

Welcome home, Greg. Welcome home to the 184th Infantry Regiment! In my heart I am hugging each and every one of them. Every man and woman who returns from service in Iraq and Afghanistan is a prayer answered.

[Radix]

Greg your boy?

God bless him.

Thank you and him.

I know a bit about how you probably feel. My boy arrived back last week.

Hooah!

[Mama_Bear]

Great photos, Syncro! Thanks for the ping. I feel like I was there. Can't quit smiling for Greg's family and ALL the families of the returning 184th Infantry Regiment.

[Mama_Bear]

My boy arrived back last week.

More good news, and another prayer answered!

This grateful American thanks him for his service - please tell him that for me.

[Mama_Bear]

Wow, that Syncro really gets around.

That is exactly what I was thinking! LOL

[Syncro]

Greg's second cousins prepare for his arrival by making a sign to greet him with:

Greg's cousin spies him, and his Mom tries to hide to suprize him...



But he sees her...



Greg takes a moment to take a "Welcome Home Soldier" call from President Bush.



After that call he got a little giddy and did a dance...



Joe's Crap Shack is right on the Sacramento River. You can see one of the Seven Wonders of the World across the river.



This is the front page of the Sacramento Bee from Monday when the rest of Greg's crew arrived. His Mom is quoted above the picture.

[Swordmaker]

Greg your boy?

Wish he was... but he is the son of a couple of my friends, Ruth and Jim Parkinson. They are mightily proud... and rightfully so.

[Syncro]

Well Hay I am documenting my life...and Soldier Homecomings and Political Events and FR things and Floods (almost got submerged on the backroads around here a couple of weeks ago) and and and...LOL I gotta get some rest.

I am so backlogged and just filled up my server.

[Dr. Zoo]

It's crab shack...get a backspace key dude.

Refresher courses in thypos are offered quarterly at the Institute.

[Mjaye]

Thank God for the safe return of Greg and the other soldiers. Please pass our thanks to them for all they've done for their country.

So glad you discovered Free Republic, you won't find a finer bunch of people anywhere!