Posted on 05/10/2003 8:11:22 AM PDT by anncoulteriscool
Town cheers Army pilot's safe return
Homecoming at Douglas County High School for freed POW
By MIA TAYLOR
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Douglasville -- A hometown crowd anxiously awaiting the arrival of their local hero pressed their faces against chain link fences and peered over the back of bleachers into Douglas County High School's parking lot, eager to catch a glimpse of the freed prisoner of war.
Ron Young Jr. emerged from a black limousine wearing his Army uniform. The crowd of 2,500 erupted, cheering and clapping.
Young looked wide-eyed as he stepped from the vehicle and surveyed the crowd from behind the stage set up at the school's stadium. He waved and said hello softly while twirling a small United States flag in his hand and soaking it all in.
"This is wild," he said. "Overwhelming."
A chief warrant officer, Young, 26, of Lithia Springs, was held captive in Iraq for three weeks. Young and his co-pilot, Chief Warrant Officer David Williams of Orlando, went down in their helicopter during an attack in central Iraq. Marines found them and five other captive American soldiers in a house near Tikrit on April 13.
Friday night was the first official communitywide celebration since he returned home April 22.
Young and his family were the guests of honor at the rally that included music from local bands, national recording artists and comments from state and local politicians.
It was a happy night for the Young family.
They sat side by side on a stage set up in the middle of the high school's football field, flanked by numerous dignitaries. But the Youngs -- Ron Jr., his mother, Kaye, and his father, Ron Sr. -- stood out. They were the ones constantly smiling, hugging each other or holding hands.
Kaye, whom many referred to as the beacon of hope that led Douglas County through her son's ordeal, received a thunderous standing ovation from the packed stadium when it came her turn to speak.
"You know," she said to the crowd, "I think I should begin by thanking my father in heaven that I am able to stand on this stage with my son sitting behind me."
Ron Sr. also received a standing ovation.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be this rich," he said. "It is a richness of people I've come to know during this situation. I never knew this country was so strong. . . . I'll be forever in debt to all of you and I'll never forget you."
While thrilled by all the attention, Young said the best part of it all has simply been the fact that he's home. His favorite moment so far -- getting to hug his mother.
And as he walked into the stadium Friday night to enjoy all the celebrating in his honor, Young's thoughts were still on those remaining in Iraq.
"I sincerely appreciate what everyone here has done for me and my family," Young said. "All the calls and prayers . . . I just really want people to remember everyone who is still over there and who died."
Long before Young and his family arrived, the football field at Douglas High School was alive with activity and excitement. Student choirs were rehearsing, a military band was warming up and people filled stadium bleachers hours early, eager to get good seats.
"We've been setting up for three days," said Wes Tallon, director of communications for Douglas County, sweat dripping down his brow as he raced around the field just an hour before the arrival of the guest of honor.
"We are welcoming home our native son and celebrating all of America, not just Ron," he said. "The whole community supported the family when Ron was in prison and this is a chance to come together as a community again with him home."
Charlotte Mozley, an eighth-generation Douglas County resident, arrived with her three grandsons about 40 minutes early to secure good seats.
Mozley, whose 30-year-old son went to school with Young, said she prayed and cried when Young was captured. And cried again, the day she sat in Sunday school and received word that he had been freed.
She said she was proud of Douglas County for holding such a patriotic event.
"This is fabulous," Mozley said. "I'm so proud of people here for having enough patriotism to support this. We didn't do this for Vietnam. I felt like Ron was a child of mine. I think most people here did."
God bless you and yours and as you say, all of the others still over there and the souls and families of those who died.
The outpouring we are seeing, despite the best efforts of the media to distort it or not report it, is amazing and speaks to the great strength we still have as a people, as a republic. In the face of the anti-war people and their abettors, the support rallies has been overwhelming.
From a fellow Douglas countian...Welcome home Ronald Young.
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