Colorado Springs Honors the Heroes of Iraqi Freedom

[Terri]

Colorado Springs Honors the Heroes of Iraqi Freedom

By Terri Hillhouse
Talon News
June 8, 2004

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (Talon News) -- Pride and patriotism were alive and well Saturday morning when the city of Colorado Springs held a welcome home celebration for its troops who returned from Iraq in March.

Over 12,000 soldiers from Ft. Carson were sent to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom, 45 of them never returned.

Graduates of the Air Force Academy, located in Colorado Springs, flew numerous missions in Iraq and were represented in Saturday's festivities as were members of both the Navy and Marine Corps.

In an event billed as the largest welcome home ceremony in the country to date, downtown Colorado Springs was a sea of red, white, and blue, with a flag in every hand and multiple flags in many.

More (http://www.gopusa.com/news/2004/june/0608_heroes_parade.s html)

I wish every soldier could have been honored at this parade. I have some pictures that I will try to post later.

[Terri]

Here's a few photos from our Welcome Home parade for Iraqi Freedom troops.

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/preparade.jpg

Some of the crowd waiting for the parade to start.

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Awelban.jpg

[Terri]

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Ahorsecolors.jpg

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Atroops.jpg

Some of the over 6,000 troops who marched.

[Terri]

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Atroops1.jpg

More of the reason we were all there.

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Aflagfloat.jpg

[Terri]

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Ahummer.jpg

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Atank.jpg

[stan25]

My father was stationed at Fort Carson in the early 1950s. He told me that Colorado Springs was still a small town at that time. It sure don’t look doesn’t look that way now.

I was down there in 1973 on a class trip. We went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. We spent the whole day there and we did not see it all.

[Terri]

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Aforever.jpg

Another float to say how Colorado Springs felt about these guys and gals.

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Amarch.jpg

[Terri]

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Ausam.jpg

And still they came....

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Atroops2.jpg

[Terri]

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Avintcar.jpg

Memories from the past....and more of today.

http://www.mountainsnmore.n et/photos/parade/Atroops1.jpg

[Terri]

No, it's not small now Stan but this is the old downtown area. It's undergone some change but hasn't grown much. Everything has moved north and east.

[pRIMrose]

AWESOME! Terri, you'll have to get together with Laurie and make a scrapbook. http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif These pictures are definitely something you'll want to pass on to your kids. http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/yes.gif They look so young and so professional. I'm so glad they got such a great reception. http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/usflag22.gif God Bless Them All! http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/yes.gif

[flowerpower]

Great pictures Terri!!! I am so proud of our guys..and gals...I would like to hug them all and tell them how much I appreciate them!!
Looks like a beautiful place you live in...gorgeous!

[termind]

Terri, these are great pics. I sum it up with one word: Pride!

Very neat pic of the World War II staff car. I was looking for Tom Selleck as General Eisenhower to crawl out.

[Floridaguy]

Great pics Terri. Your town doesn't look at all like the one we met in near the NM border 2 summers ago. http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laff.gif

http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/flag19.gif http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cowboy7.gif

[lpara]

Terri, thank you so much for sharing these pictures of history. I'm with flower~~I wish I could hug each one too. Joseph just wants a ride in the Humvee http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif He loved seeing the pics too. The parade was truly a precious way to let them know how much we respect, love and thank God for them! http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/twothumbsup.gif to CO for being the "givers."

[XNavyGunner]

Thanks for sharing these fantastic pics, Terri. I was thinking of transferring back to Wv, but my wife and I have come to the conclusion that Colorado is our home. And these photos make me glad of that fact.

[Nancy521]

Terri, your pictures lifted my spirits tonight! Absolutely awesome photos!

Many thanks!
Nancy http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/flag17.gif

[muggedliberal]

Terri:

I sit here with tears in my eyes and thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing these pictures.. particularly on this day of days.

Our soldier was loading his two year old and one year old in his van, heading to New Orleans. He, his wife and the girls are spending the afternoon at the Audubon Zoo and the night down there, and he's flying back to Ft. Lewis in the morning, and quickly on to Iraq. It's a very emotional day for us all, knowing he will be in harms way so very far from the love of his family.

I checked email more to distract myself than anything else, and followed the link to my thread, which brought me here. I grabbed his hand, pulled him to the screen to look, and said, "You see this? This will be you before you know it."

He smiled with glistening eyes and squeezed my hand tight. Then I walked him outside for a final goodbye.

Thank you for the 'angel kiss', Terri. Please pray for him, and for us as we start the long wait once again.

mugged

[Nancy521]

mugged, I sit here sharing your tears as I read what you wrote. You do your best to memorize every single thing about them before you have to finally let go. It's times like these you couldn't have possibly imagined when you first held their tiny bodies next to yours.

My God Bless your soldier and his precious wife and kids. May God keep His steady hand on you while you worry and wait for his safe return. Always know that there are many of us out here you'll never meet who are holding your hand in your wait for his safe return.

Please let me know if I can send cards or letters or anything he might need for himself or the soldiers he'll be with.

With Love,
Nancy http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/flag17.gif

[Terri]

ML, I'm so glad your guy got to see these pics before he goes. Please tell him that I hope that he will have exactly the same kind of reception waiting for him when he gets home. Please tell his thank you for his service to America. http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/flag17.gif

If I could give our soldiers a gift, I would give that parade to all of them. It was an incredible site to see the sidewalks lined for about 8 blocks on one main street and 8 blocks on the other main street as the parade made a swing down first one and then back up the other.

Those soldiers marched to applause and cheers and they all said they could not believe it.

Could you tell us his first name? *

And would you ask him if it's OK if we adopt him and his unit for the duration of their stay in Iraq?

We would be honored to write and send packages to any of the soldiers in his unit who would be willing to hear from us.

Gunner, I think it would be hard to beat Colorado Springs for troop support.

[XNavyGunner]

Quote[/b] ]Gunner, I think it would be hard to beat Colorado Springs for troop support.


Hard to beat the area for anything. Except we're not near the ocean. That's my only gripe and it's a minor one. http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Oh and having to claim Boulder as one of our cities. http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Original Rebel]

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Mugged, word for word dittos of what MaryLou and Terri said. Let us all know what we can do for these brave soldiers. Just count me in on anything.

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[muggedliberal]

Heartfelt thanks to you all... it's only been 3 months since my other lil Sarge, Tom, returned from Iraq. He is with the 101st Airborne, and since he and his unit had already done a full tour in Afghanistan, they only had to stay about 4 months in Iraq. They were deployed to Iraq when his wife was 7-1/2 months pregnant, and I had the pleasure of caring for them, delivery room and all, until his return.

Now I have the honor to share my home, support and love with David's family. I spoke with him on the phone in New Orleans this evening and told him of your kind words and offer of adoption, and he was touched and excited at the idea. He's with the Alpha 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery (Alpha 2 8, they call it). I'll sure let you guys know when they get over and get settled. He said he would love to hear from you, and knew the guys would as well...

You guys are priceless.. thank you for caring.

mugged

[Original Rebel]

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ML, we'll be anxiously waiting...and praying for their safety.

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