Tears shed as soldiers deployed

By JAMES CLARK / Editor for the Southern Standard

As Spc. Jeff Price says goodbye to his son Logan with a hug and a kiss, his wife Chrystal can’t hold back a tear. Price and the rest of McMinnville’s unit of the Tennessee National Guard left yesterday for Camp Shelby, Miss. (Will Stewart photo)

It was a tear-filled goodbye Thursday morning at McMinnville’s National Guard Armony as hundreds of family members hugged and kissed loved ones who are ultimately headed to Iraq.

Soldiers from the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment left for Camp Shelby, Miss., Thursday for months of training. While no official word has been given, the regiment is expected to stay at Camp Shelby until at least October. After that, the soldiers will receive additional national training at another site before returning to Camp Shelby for at least a week.

From there, the regiment will be moved overseas to Kuwait in December and will move into Iraq around the first of the year.

Support for National Guard soldiers was overwhelming Thursday morning for a pair of somber send-offs. The first wave of military vehicles left the armory around 6 a.m. and traveled down Smithville Highway to Interstate 40.

Even at that early hour, crowds filled the streets, including about 25 people at David O. Greene’s home in the Gath community.

“They told me at church Wednesday night that everybody was going to meet in my yard so I said OK,” said Greene. “We had flags waving and the soldiers waved and honked their horns as they drove by so I think they appreciated our support. I know it’s a difficult road they have ahead of them.”

Charlotte Huff’s husband, William, left with the first group of soldiers, but she returned to the second send-off at 9 a.m. carrying a sign that said, “Thank you & God bless 278.”

“It’s sad,” said Mrs. Huff. “But I’m impressed with all the people who showed up.”

People holding American flags and shouting words of encouragement lined the Three Star Mall parking lot as two commercial buses carrying soldiers made their way to the bypass. On the bypass, people lined both sides of the road, and three men even hung flags from Angels Bridge.

Florence Cruise was one of many who showed up on the bypass to watch as the convoy rolled by. Cruise said her granddaughter, Michelle Wals, has been stationed in Afghanistan since May.

“I felt like I needed to do something to honor these boys,” Cruise said while waving an American flag. “I just wanted to come by and show a little support.”

There were scattered groups of people all the way to Morrison with large crowds at virtually every intersection.

“It was the most heart-warming thing I’ve ever seen,” said mall manager Teresa Martin, who arranged for the convoy to pull through the mall parking lot. “The churches, the businesses who came out, it was really special.”

So far, three National Guard combat units with about 15,000 soldiers have been deployed in Iraq this year, according to the National Guard. Another four units, including the 278th, are on the way.