tommy-scott-1tommy-scott-2tommy-scott-3tommy-scott-4Ride Report for Ride Captain HowardK

In the early morning hours of Thursday June 7, LCpl Tommy Scott USMC was welcomed home to Philadelphia after serving an eight month tour of duty in Afghanistan. WWR were invited to assist in surprising Tommy at the airport and to provide an escort back to his south Philadelphia home. Since that’s what we do best, of course we were honored to oblige.

Tommy has served in the United States Marine Corps since January 2010. He is currently a member of 1st Div, 2nd Bn, 11th Reg, Golf Battery out of Camp Pendleton, Ca. He now is returning from eight months in Afghanistan.

Warriors Watch Riders were invited to celebrate Tommy’s safe return and to recognize and honor his military service by his very excited mother Debbie. Tommy’s extended family including his mother, father, grandfather, aunts and uncles as well as his neighbors and friends were all there to make Tommy’s return a big cause for celebration and gathered in front of the flagged and sign-adorned family home in South Philadelphia.

We met at Firebase 69 at 5:30AM and following a ride briefing to some half-sleeping WWR and AHW members, proceeded to PHL Terminal D to await Tommy’s return. The family had already arrived at the airport and Tommy’s Uncle (a member of Philadelphia PD) had arranged for them all to greet Tommy at the arrival gate. After leaving the arrival gate the family walked with Tommy as he neared the escalator. There he was greeted by about two dozen flag-carrying WWR and AHW members who lined the steps along side the escalator. The very surprised returning hero was greeted by all members as he proceeded down the escalator.

At the bottom of the escalator Captain Dan of A Hero’s Welcome waited. Standing next to the yellow-ribbon covered sign of A Hero’s Welcome, Dan presented Tommy a certificate recognizing his service and sacrifice and offered him thanks from a grateful nation. After retrieving his bags, Tommy jumped into the green Jeep driven by his mom for the final leg of his trip back home.

Led by a Philadelphia Police escort and accompanied by four Philadelphia PD motorcycles and two more patrol cars, officers CLOSED DOWN route 95 north allowing our column to proceed unhindered. We exited near the Walt Whitman bridge and made our way along Front street and turned down the final street. There we saw many homes with WELCOME HOME signs and flags and reached the Scott home which had USMC and American flags flown from the telephone pole.

LCpl Tommy Scott USMC was presented our WWR honor coin by the Ride Captain as he was thanked for his service, his sacrifice, his families sacrifice and for his dedication to keeping us all safe and free back here at home. We then had the honor of calling forward Tommy’s grandfather George Szpyrka who was a Spec 5 in the US ARMY and was in Vietnam 66-67 and Tommy’s uncle, Raymond “Scotty” Scott who was a Spec 4, Vietnam 70-71. They were each welcomed home and presented a WWR Honor coin and thanked for their service and sacrifice to our nation. Neither had ever received a welcome home since their return more than 40 years ago.

We then formed for the traditional WWR mugs with the family and friends as many pictures were taken to commemorate this well- deserved Welcome Home celebration. After mugging and hugging we departed to allow Tommy and the Scott and Szpyrka families to enjoy and celebrate his return in peace.

We would like to thank the Philadelphia Police Department for their exceptional role in leading this welcome home escort. We would also like to thank Philadelphia FD Engine 53 for their participation and patriotic support. Most of all, Warriors Watch Riders would like to thank Debbie and Tom Scott and the entire Scott and Szpyrka family for the honor of participating in this very well deserved Welcome Home recognition ceremony.

Respectfully submitted by RC HowardK