SLIDESHOW and VIDEO: Cambridge sends troops off

Meadville Tribune

September 25, 2008 05:21 pm

— Click image for slideshow


CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS — With American flags clutched in their small hands, more than 600 children from Cambridge Springs lined Steele Street Wednesday morning to say goodbye to Iraq-bound soldiers from the 1st Battalion 112th Infantry.
Many of the children were more than happy to be outside in the late-summer sun and were ready for the “parade.” Others, however, like Aubrey Noble, had a greater understanding of exactly what was going on.
“We’ve been waiting and planning for a week for the soldiers to come,” the second-grader said. “They’re going to down to Mississippi to be with my dad.”
Her father, Pennsylvania National Guard Chief Warrant Officer Michael Noble, departed for Mississippi Friday to prepare for the hundreds of troops that were due to arrive throughout the day Wednesday after leaving from their Cambridge Springs base. There they will train until December. After a visit home for the holidays, they will head to Iraq.
The convoy of vehicles that comprised Wednesday’s “parade” could be heard before it was seen. Some of the littlest kids in the line covered their ears as blaring police, ambulance and fire department sirens became louder and louder as they approached from Venango Street, heading towards Cambridge Springs Elementary School.


Cambridge Springs sendoff from The Meadville Tribune on Vimeo.

Alongside the students, friends, families and other members of the community took part in the send-off and joined in the children’s chant, “U.S.A., U.S.A.” as the charter buses approached the parking lot.
As they exited the buses and headed towards the crowds of well wishers, it was obvious from their ear-to-ear grins that the troops were thrilled to be there.
Dressed in their camouflage fatigues, many of the soldiers stopped to shake hands with visitors, many having to bend over to greet some of the smallest ones face-to-face.
After they passed by and headed towards the back of the school for an informal assembly, Thora Dunn, 85, stopped to rest on the tailgate of her neighbor’s truck. The former cafeteria worker said she came over just to say goodbye to the troops before they head overseas to Iraq.
“I’ve lived through many wars, beginning with the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor,” she said, “And I know that by being here today I will raise their morale; today will be a reminder that they are fighting for a purpose.”
A group of employees from Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative came over during their lunch hour to say goodbye to soldiers, some of whom were family of their co-workers.
“Showing up to say goodbye has got to mean a lot to them,” Amy Wellington-Fuller said.
As the students and community mingled briefly with the soldiers before the designated departure time, several soldiers climbed over fences to reach a higher vantage point to take photographs of the crowd.
Lt. Stephen Murphy of Grove City had the company camera. Sgt. Kenneth Stroud of Butler was using his personal camera. Both said they wanted to capture the moment.
“This is the first time I’ve ever heard of this kind of send-off,” he said. “It’s absolutely incredible. You hear a lot of negativity about foreign policy, but this makes it all worthwhile.”
Stroud has made the long trip to Iraq twice before, but he said he’s never seen “this kind of outpouring of support” from a school and community.
“This is so inspirational,” he said. “The first two times I left I just boarded a bus and shipped off with only a handful of people saying good-bye. But this is so unbelievable — I just had to take photos to document this.”
Steve Reisenauer, a music teacher at Cambridge Springs Elementary School, and other school personnel, corralled students to make way for the buses to depart for the airport. Wearing a polo shirt that resembled an antique flag, he said the event, though brief, was worth the week of planning.
“Having the soldiers come here makes the events more real for everyone,” Reisenauer said. “It’s very emotional for me because I cannot even begin to imagine leaving my family — giving it all up — to go overseas to fight.”
Wednesday’s parade was just one of several days of farewell activities for the soldiers from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in Cambridge Springs. Patti Fiely, principal at the elementary school, said a group of soldiers visited the school Tuesday to speak with the students and eat lunch.
Each classroom had a visitor, many of whom showed the students maps of where they were going, Fiely said. After lunch they also enjoyed eating a red, white and blue cake with the children.
“We were glad to give back to the soldiers for everything they do for us,” she said. “And now the kids can put real faces to what’s going on with the war.”
The convoy of vehicles that comprised Wednesday’s “parade” could be heard before it was seen. Some of the littlest kids in the line covered their ears as blaring police, ambulance and fire department sirens became louder and louder as they approached from Venango Street, heading towards Cambridge Springs Elementary School.
Alongside the students, friends, families and other members of the community took part in the send-off and joined in the children’s chant, “U.S.A., U.S.A.” as the charter buses approached the parking lot.
As they exited the buses and headed towards the crowds of well wishers, it was obvious from their ear-to-ear grins that the troops were thrilled to be there.
Dressed in their camouflage fatigues, many of the soldiers stopped to shake hands with visitors, many having to bend over to greet some of the smallest ones face-to-face.
After they passed by and headed towards the back of the school for an informal assembly, Thora Dunn, 85, stopped to rest on the tailgate of her neighbor’s truck. The former cafeteria worker said she came over just to say goodbye to the troops before they head overseas to Iraq.
“I’ve lived through many wars, beginning with the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor,” she said, “And I know that by being here today I will raise their morale; today will be a reminder that they are fighting for a purpose.”
A group of employees from Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative came over during their lunch hour to say goodbye to soldiers, some of whom were family of their co-workers.
“Showing up to say goodbye has got to mean a lot to them,” Amy Wellington-Fuller said.
As the students and community mingled briefly with the soldiers before the designated departure time, several soldiers climbed over fences to reach a higher vantage point to take photographs of the crowd.
Lt. Stephen Murphy of Grove City had the company camera. Sgt. Kenneth Stroud of Butler was using his personal camera. Both said they wanted to capture the moment.
“This is the first time I’ve ever heard of this kind of send-off,” he said. “It’s absolutely incredible. You hear a lot of negativity about foreign policy, but this makes it all worthwhile.”
Stroud has made the long trip to Iraq twice before, but he said he’s never seen “this kind of outpouring of support” from a school and community.
“This is so inspirational,” he said. “The first two times I left I just boarded a bus and shipped off with only a handful of people saying good-bye. But this is so unbelievable — I just had to take photos to document this.”
Steve Reisenauer, a music teacher at Cambridge Springs Elementary School, and other school personnel, corralled students to make way for the buses to depart for the airport. Wearing a polo shirt that resembled an antique flag, he said the event, though brief, was worth the week of planning.
“Having the soldiers come here makes the events more real for everyone,” Reisenauer said. “It’s very emotional for me because I cannot even begin to imagine leaving my family — giving it all up — to go overseas to fight.”
Wednesday’s parade was just one of several days of farewell activities for the soldiers from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in Cambridge Springs. Patti Fiely, principal at the elementary school, said a group of soldiers visited the school Tuesday to speak with the students and eat lunch.
Each classroom had a visitor, many of whom showed the students maps of where they were going, Fiely said. After lunch they also enjoyed eating a red, white and blue cake with the children.
“We were glad to give back to the soldiers for everything they do for us,” she said. “And now the kids can put real faces to what’s going on with the war.”

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