Welcome Home for 1175th Transportation Company - TN Army National Guard
Last October the Tn Patriot Guard (PGR) gave mid-tour send off for the 1175th Transportation Company, yesterday we welcomed them home after a year tour of duty. All 300 of the 1175th Transportation Company returned and PGR was at the Smyrna Airport with flags flying high. In fact, the wind was so strong it was a challenge holding the flags out on the tarmac. There were 2 chartered jets to fly the company in from Fort Bragg, then 5 chartered coach buses to transport them to the Tullahoma National Guard Base.
It was a fabulous escort with an estimated 40 PGR Bikers, 6 cages, TN Highway Patrol and numerous city and county law enforcement vehicles. We traveled at a reduced speed so the Bikers could keep their flags flying on the Interstate (due to the wind). I’m telling you that wind was dangerous if per chance you got snapped in the face by one of the flags whipping around. We still have the second leg of the escort to go for Tuesday morning for 103 of the Soldiers who need to get to Brownsville, TN. So, if you see a couple of coach buses with Bikers with flags in front of the buses give a hearty honk and thumbs up for our returning Soldiers.
Local support was out once we got off the interstate and onto Hwy 55 going through Manchester and on to Tullahoma.
They even had a band out playing “Rocky Top”!
Deplaning
Heading out with the Bikers leading the way
Here’s a family that went all out to welcome home their Soldier
Local Firefighters out in force
The crowd converges on the road
Base Welcome Home
Intruding on a couple
Trying to get a group photo is like herding cats (especially after a year away from your loved ones)
I had to include this photo of my little PGR Mascot
Technorati Tags: Patriot Guard, 1175th Transportation Company, Tullahoma TN, Welcome Home, Iraq, Support The Troops
Hi Toni,
Great job on the Story & pics.
Yes,…and that wind was something else!
Susan
Comment by Susan Westerfield — May 12, 2008 @ 3:24 pm
Great pictures. Wish I could have made it for this welcome home…
PatrioticLady
Comment by Tracy Roberts — May 13, 2008 @ 4:21 pm
I love the pgr people. I think all ya’ll are great. Especially because so many are Vietnam Veterans and come out to give our sons and daughters the welcome home that all ya’ll deserved, but didn’t get. Thank you for that. More often than not Vietnam Veterans were treately shamefully on their return. I don’t have to tell any of you that, You Vietnam Veterans were heroes too, just as our kids are today. While it is many years too late I have to say thank you Vietnam Veterans and welcome home. Fortunately most of the time our kids are not dishonored in this way. I live not too far from San Francisco and Berkely….. one of the few areas where the exception is the rule….not all of us are loonies. Sad that recruiting duty in California is almost as hazardous as being sent to Iraq.
Comment by DebiAnn Brewster — May 13, 2008 @ 6:29 pm