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Show Soldiers return to Utah By KRIS JOHNSON Staff Writer i SALT LAKE CITY Cries of joy, tears and hugs Wednesday night greeted the first Utah military personnel to return home from Operation Desert Storm. Lengthy kisses and crushing embraces em-braces were the order of day as 18 members of the 2952nd Combat Logistics Support Squadron at Hill Air Force Base stepped off a commercial com-mercial jetliner and into the arms of wives, children, relatives and friends. The scene was repeated Thursday as 13 Utah military personnel, all stationed .at Hill Air Force Base, walked through gate B at the Salt Lake City International Airport and were greeted by wild cheers and flashing cameras. Welcoming crowds jammed the airline terminals ter-minals at the airport to welcome home the vanguard of Utah military personnel sent to fight in Operation Desert Storm. The 2952nd had been deployed to the Persian Gulf Aug. 9 as one of the first units to be activated. Utah Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer Terry Haslam said this will be typical of the returning troops. The first units to be deployed will be the first to return. "It's good to be back home, I'm glad to be back," said Staff Sgt. Dennis Breese. "It was hot and sandy out there. I was surprised that we got the job done as quick as we did." "I found out that Dennis was coming home this morning," said Chris Breese. "When I found out, I started crying because I was so overwhelmed and so happy. It's been hard these past couple of months, but my kids have helped. If w SEE RETURN ON A-2 linguists to come home first, ' Haslam said. The 142nd Military Intelligence Battalion (Arabic Linguists) and the 120th Quarter Master Detachment (Water Purification Unit) were both activated Aug. 27. Those groups were followed by the 144th Evacuation Evacua-tion Hospital medical personnel Nov. 21, the 625th MP Company Nov. 30, and the 1457th Combat Engineers near the end of December. Families of the activated military men and women will be the first to be notified as the detachments are ordered home, Army, Air Force and National Guard spokespersons said. provide highly trained personnel to repair damaged F-1 6 and F-4 fighter jets through the use of deployable teams trained to accomplish ac-complish rapid aircraft battle repairs. Air Force Capt. Jan Lauer, spokesperson for the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing stationed at Hill Air Force Base, (HAFB) said they are "optimistic that all of our troops will be home by the end of the month." She said the 388th had deployed two squadrons of F-16 pilots, plus their maintenance and support people and additional support sup-port members from logistics commands. com-mands. "There are several thousand thou-sand we hope to see by the end'of March," she said. Of the 116 activated members of the 419th Tactical Fighter Wing stationed at HAFB, only seven were deployed to Saudi Arabia. Barbara Ann Vessels, spokesperson for the group, said the remainder "backfilled" at various active duty bases throughout the United States. Members of the 67th and 68th Aerial Port Squadron were stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Newport News, Va. "We have had no word on any of our people, but we hope to have a timeline on their return early next week," Vessels said. Army Maj. Bill Auer of the Utah Army Reserve said he too is "in the dark" as to when his troops will be returning. "The rumor mill is alive and well, but we have nothing definite," he said. "We have someone sitting on the phone for any new information." Maj. Auer said the nearly 1,000 soldiers of the Army Reserve "may all return the same day, but we're ready for them," he said emphatically. Activated Utah Army Reservists include members of the 388th General Gen-eral Hospital unit, deployed to Europe; members of the 321st Medical Detachment, and 419th Transportation Company, deployed to Saudi Arabia, and members of the 244th Personnel Services, deployed to Fort Lewis, Wash. Utah Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer Terry Haslam said they are still working on the schedule and trying to get information informa-tion as to when the 1,300 members of the Utah Guard will return. "We've been told they will be returned re-turned in the order they were deployed, so we expect the Arabic Return CONTINUED FROM A-l it wasn't for my kids, I wouldn't have made it." "I found out that he was coming home today," said Allison Alessi about her husband, Michael. "I thought he was lying when he said he was coming home. I couldn't believe it. I didn't think Saddam Hussein was going to be that easy. I figured this war would last a year. It surprised me, that's all I can say." Yellow, ribbons, flags, balloons and banners flooded the airport terminal along with a parade of news reporters who were there to cover the first coming home of more than 4,400 active duty, national guard and reserve personnel per-sonnel from Utah. As each airman stepped through the door, he was given a yellow rose by Brig. Gen. Lawrence Anderson, mobilization assistant to the commander com-mander at Hill Air Force Base. "I've got so much adrenaline pumped up inside of me right now, I didn't expect this kind of a welcome. It really helps to know that everyone is behind us," said Tech Sgt. Bob Hamilton. The children's reactions to their fathers' coming home were tainted with happiness and excitement. "I missed my daddy and I was sad when he left. Now I'm happy because he's home," said Utile Amanda Hamilton, daughter of Bob and Sharron Hamilton. "It was sad and depressing with my dad gone," said Nikki Bullock, whose father is Master Sgt. Gregory Bullock. "I tried not to think about him being gone, it was like he was on temporary duty. It was kind of creepy to see all that war stuff on TV. When I found out he was coming com-ing home, we were all jumping around. We were really happy," she said The 2952nd airmen were the first troops to deploy from Utah after Iraq invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2. "They're real heroes, and they're coming back heroes," said Lt Col. Sam Brown, commanding officer of the 2952nd class. Col. Brown added that 114 members of the squadron went to the Gulf to support air operations with 62 of them leaving Aug. 9. The 2952nd' s mission was to I Mm0&"'" V-,, V 1 Master Sgt. Larry Stiles clutches his wife Janice Stiles with one arm and a copy of Air Force Magazine with the other after stepping stepp-ing off the commercial jet that brought him home from Saudi Arabia. Larry's children, Latisha, Jennifer, and Jerry Jr. where on hand to greet their dad when he arrived. (Clipper photo by Patrick Mitchell) |