A little rain is not a valid excuse to miss a homecoming for an Iraq veteran. There’s a big difference between a rainstorm and a sandstorm, which is why friends, family, and members of the Yellow Ribbon Club waited outside of Private First Class David King’s house last week to welcome the 20-year-old veteran home from Fort Bragg.
As King came home from a dinner organized by his mother and father, about 30 well-wishers ringed his family’s driveway, holding American flags and cheering for the young veteran as he was led back to his house by the Evesham Township Fire Department, EMS, and a lone Warrior Rider leading the way on his motorcycle. As the group got word that he was a block away, the nearby fire truck and ambulance cranked up their sirens in appreciation and the flag waivers let up a cheer as his father pulled into the driveway and King returned home.
The veteran had actually returned to Evesham Township on Friday, Dec. 23, just in time for Christmas. The YRC still wanted to give him a surprise hero’s welcome though, Silver said.
His brother, Kevin King, 21, waved a flag and said it was a great time for his brother to return to the township.
“It’s tough around Christmas and it means a lot that people have come out to support him coming back,” Kevin said. “He left for Fort Bragg in February for basic training. He came home once in June and he’s here for about a week before going back out around Jan. 2. It’s great to have him home though.”
Stationed in Baghdad, Iraq, King’s company was one of the last to leave the country. The 2010 Cherokee High School Graduate hugged his family and friends, overwhelmed by the show of support. Yellow Ribbon Club coordinator Dave Silver led him over to several members of the Evesham Township Fire Department, who shook the veteran’s hand and thanked him for his service to the country. He then led King to the front of his family’s home and thanked the group for coming out to support the veteran.
Evesham Township Councilmen Kurt Croft and Steve Zeuli offered him a proclamation for his service and dedication to his country.
“Thank you to everyone for everything. You’re the reason I fight,” King said to the crowd as it let up a cheer.
King said his time in Baghdad was devoted mostly to munitions, rockets, mortars, and artillery missions. Throw in a few house breaches, he said, and that was his time in Baghdad.
“It’s amazing. I haven’t seen many of these people for 10 months,” he said.
Wendy and Kevin King, David’s mother and father, were overwhelmed with the support and dedication from the Yellow Ribbon Club, the Warrior Riders, and the police and fire units that made their son’s homecoming a special one.
“We’ve been involved with the Yellow Ribbon Club for a while now, and this was special,” Kevin King said as the party for his son went into the house. “We got him home in time for Christmas.”
<a href="http://youtu.be/4p9jOW2y5-0">http://youtu.be/4p9jOW2y5-0</a>
