Camp Pendleton Marines Return To Base After A Year Away
About 300 Marines returned to Camp Pendleton early Wednesday morning after a yearlong deployment to Iraq.
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01-31-07
The Marines of the 5th Regimental Combat Team had been based in Fallujah, where they helped reconstruction efforts and assisted in the training of Iraqi security forces.
The deployment had taken its toll on the 15,000 member regiment, with about 90 Marines killed during the last year and many more injured.
"I'm just glad they are home," said Amy Parker, 25, who had traveled from New Hampshire to meet her husband, Cpl. Sandy Parker.
The Marines arrived a little after 1 a.m. by bus from March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County. The Marines marched onto a parade ground at the north end of Camp Pendleton and were formally dismissed, platoon by platoon.
"I've been looking forward to this and it just feels great," said Cpl. Justin Braden, surrounded by family members who came to meet him at the base.
The Marines have been replaced by 6th Regimental Combat Team 6, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.