Today, the 485th Chemical Battalion (The “Golden Dragons”), a Delaware Army National Guard unit, finally came home to the waiting arms of their loved ones after a year’s deployment in Iraq, fighting for your freedom! Warriors’ Watch was honored to have been invited by the Family Readiness Group leader, Paulette Mason, to help to coordinate the motorcycle escort and to add our numbers to the Delaware Patriot Guard Riders led by Bob Moyer, Delaware PGR State Captain.

The morning was unusually cool and the skies changeable as we set out very early for the ride from Philadelphia to Delaware. Though the soldiers had completed the demobilization process at Fort Dix in New Jersey, Bob and I had planned to bypass New Jersey in order to simplify the escort some, and to keep the entire escort contained within the borders of the state of Delaware. Bob arranged a staging area at “Dave’s Famous Harley-Davidson” near the foot of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and that was our morning destination. The weather held and the traffic was light (southbound, at least), and 15 or so Pa and NJ Warrior’s watch Riders we arrived in plenty of time to join another 15 Delaware riders for the short trip from Dave’s to the bridge.

The troops were overjoyed when their two tour buses came down the bridge by the sight of all those motorcycles waiting to bring them home! We fell in with our bikes to the front of the police-escorted buses and rode with them to the destination – the Delaware technical & Community College Stanton Campus auditorium.

The procession roared in to the campus to the cheers of family members and frineds, waiting military Brass (Including Major General William Monk, III, Commanding General of the 99th Regional REadiness Command and 99th Regional Support Command,) and dignitaries such as Senator Joeseph Biden, D. DE.

485TH WELCOME HOME

The Welcome Home ceremony was poignant and dignified, and all of these “citizen-warriors” received the honors and the welcome that all returning warriors deserve, from all wars in all times.

After the ceremonies there was lots of food and a chance to mingle with the soldiers and their families, and the feeling was overwhelmingly warm and good.

The Warriors’ Watch Riders thank Bob Moyer of the DE PGR, and Paulette Mason of the 485th’s Family Readiness Group, for the HONOR of being invited to take part in the powerfully emotional welcome of their local heroes.

Warriors’ Watch, thank you – and remember: It’s about The Ride.

(PHOTOS – STREETSHOOTER)

(PHOTOS – HINDY)