Marines, Family Members Reunite Following Tour In Iraq
Thousands Line Streets, Greet Troops

POSTED: 11:58 am EDT October 6, 2005
UPDATED: 7:18 pm EDT October 7, 2005

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Thousands of people lined Columbus streets Friday and welcomed home 140 Marines from Lima Company, part of a battalion in Iraq that lost 148 reservists.

The Marines packed four buses and were driven via police escort from Port Columbus International Airport to Rickenbacker International Airport.

The first plane of Marines landed at about 8:30 a.m. from Camp Lejeune, N.C., where they had spent the last week being debriefed and counseled. The second plane touched down at 9:43 a.m., NBC 4's Kyle Anderson reported.

At about 10:40 a.m., the four buses left Port Columbus and began driving the 20-mile parade route where city officials encouraged the public to line the streets.

Video taken from Chopper 4 showed people lined up for miles. Fire trucks sounded their horns and people cheered wildly as the buses passed by.

Some people in the crowd waved American flags. A high school marching band played music for those who stood outside in a drizzle to welcome home the troops.

"I'm patriotic. How could I not be here?" said Tom Miller, a supporter.

Chopper 4 showed pictures of some of the Marines who waved and pointing to the crowd in a show of thanks.

"I appreciate the troops sacrificing their lives, their family making sacrifices so I can have freedoms. I appreciate that," said Karmin Bailey, a supporter.

The buses approached Rickenbacker at about 11:45 a.m. Family members anxiously awaited the Marines to leave their buses. The Marines then marched in formation toward friends and family, who then rushed to finally see their loved ones.

Lima Company suffered 16 of the deaths while in Iraq.



Links to some of the pics can be found here.

It's worth looking at the links. It really proves the Dems' & lefties' point that support for the war, the troops, and the president is evaporating.

Actually, they're pictures of the real America.

Quoted: Were any of the "I support the troops by protesting to end the war" assholes there to cheer them home?

I didn't see any. They usually come out on Saturday mornings and stage their rallies on busy street corners.