Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

Celebrating the Soldiers’ Return

Story by Kathleen McFadden

The soldiers of the North Carolina National Guard 1451st Transportation Company returned to the High Country last weekend after spending more than one year in Iraq, and family, friends and well wishers gathered en masse at the Watauga High School gym on Sunday for a jubilant welcome-home ceremony.

Several people in the bleachers waved hand-lettered signs, welcoming home a particular soldier or the entire unit. Many waved flags, and everybody cheered.

The ceremony was essentially a carbon copy of the farewell ceremony—with patriotic music, the soldiers filing into the gym to enthusiastic applause, the National Anthem and speeches from elected officials—but the point of Sunday’s ceremony was to say hello instead of goodbye.

Elected officials who spoke to the troops included U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx, Boone Mayor Loretta Clawson, N.C. Senator Steve Goss and N.C. Representative Cullie Tarleton.

Foxx said, “In an age of uncertainty, you have shown the community and the country that courage and dignity are alive.” After thanking the soldiers for their service and sacrifice and pledging the support of her office and staff to help the returning troops in any way possible, Foxx said, “I hope you will never experience anything but gratitude for what you have done.”

In her remarks, Clawson acknowledged the deaths of the two soldiers attached to the unit and asked the company to serve as grand marshals for the Town of Boone Fourth of July parade.

Goss, whose son is career Air Force, said, “This day is about you. Now we owe you a debt, not just words from politicians. The military throughout North Carolina deserves better.” Goss told the soldiers that he had sponsored a bill to establish ten family assistance centers in the state and pledged that one would be located in this district. “We have to show you how much we appreciate you,” Goss said. “I call on you small, large and medium businesses to find the example of Norman Cheek and follow it.” Cheek, owner of Toyota of Boone, is well known for his generosity to the unit and was a guest of honor at Sunday’s ceremony.

“Now it’s our turn,” Goss said. “Tell us what we can do for you.”

Tarleton, who served eight years in the National Guard, welcomed the soldiers home, conveyed Governor Easley’s appreciation and best wishes and echoed Goss’s offer of assistance. “The state and the legislature stand ready to assist you in any way we can,” Tarleton said.

Commanding officer of the 1451st, Captain Kelly Frazier, said, “It’s been a long year and now the 1451st is home. They did 451 missions on the most dangerous roads in the world. None of their peers in theater came close to what they did. It has been an honor and privilege to lead the 1451st and I thank you for the honor.”

Toward the end of the ceremony was a flag exchange to signify the unit’s completion of its mission.

After the event, as the crowds were leaving the gym, Family Readiness Group volunteer coordinator Barbara Daye, who not only assisted families at home during the deployment, but also coordinated many shipments of food, personal items, books, magazines, phone cards and more to the soldiers of the 1451st while they were in Iraq, stood still for a moment and said quietly, “I’m so glad they’re home.”

So are we all.

Now They Can Tell Us

Before and during the 1451st Company’s deployment, the N.C. National Guard released virtually no information about the soldiers, their missions and their location. With mission accomplished, however, the Guard has provided a look at what the soldiers have been doing during the past 16 months.

Mission: Combat logistic patrols, providing gun trucks teams to secure civilian convoys

Location: Camp Adder, Tallil Airbase near the City of Ur

Type of Equipment: M1114 and M1151 (uparmored HMMMWVs) and M1117 (armored security vehicle)

Number of Missions: 451

Number of Miles: More than one million

Number of Bronze Star medals: 24

Number of Army Commendation medals: 117

Number of Army Achievement medals: 17

In addition, the company maintained an operational readiness on all equipment above 95 percent and was the only company in the 1-34 Brigade Combat Team to have all enhancements completed ahead of schedule on 100 percent of assigned vehicles