Hundreds gather to welcome Marines

[thedrifter]

Hundreds gather to welcome Marines

By Kerry Pohlman
May 4, 2003


It was a blustery Saturday night as family and friends awaited the arrival of the first group of Yuma Marines, but nothing could chill their warm welcome.

The instructors from Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Instructor Squadron-1, a local squadron, which arrived about 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Before the plane landed, wives, friends and legions of bubbling children gathered in an auditorium decorated with red, white and blue balloons.

The base expected a crowd of about 150, but more showed up for the homecoming.

Emily Pylant and her son, 4-year-old Jacob, were waiting for Hal Pylant to walk through the doors. They had not seen him in three months.

Jacob looked sleepy. The hours of anticipation got to him, his mother said.

"He has been bouncing off the walls all day," she said.

Pylant said she had a big dinner planned for her husband the following night. She is looking forward to "being a family again."

Paula Austin said this was an exciting night for her and her two children.
Looking forward to a long-awaited reunion with her husband, Hal, Emily Pulant (right) and her son Jacob, 4, sit on the steps of a conference room at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma on Saturday. The Marines were set to return at 10:30 p.m. Photo by Charles W

The children handled their father's deployment pretty well, Austin said, but now they're full of expectations.

"They've been asking when daddy's coming," she said.

Austin missed her husband's companionship and his help with the children. Now, the only thing they've got planned is to spend time together, she said.

What will she say to him when he finally sets foot in Yuma again?

"We love you and missed you. You did a great job."

And finally, she'll say, "You're a hero."

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Kerry Pohlman can be reached at kpohlman@yumasun.com or 539-6872.


Sempers,

Roger