Marine battalion nearing arrival in North Carolina

By NATALIE GOTT: Associated Press Writer
September 30, 2005, 11:50 PM EDT

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- About 260 members of a hard-hit Ohio-based Marine Corps Reserve battalion that lost 48 members in Iraq returned to the United States late Friday.

The reservists from the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in Brook Park, Ohio, arrived at the East Coast's largest Marine base after a six-month deployment in Iraq.

"We're glad it's over," said Maj. Stephen Lawson, commanding officer of the battalion's Lima Company, which lost 16 reservists, including nine that were killed in August in the deadliest roadside bombing of U.S. troops in Iraq. "We're happy to be back in the States."

Lawson, of Middletown, Ohio, knows his wife and four children are waiting for him at home.

"I know I've got a honey-do list about two miles long," he said.

The 900-member battalion's deaths included 14 Marines killed in back-to-back attacks within one week. About 150 other Marines from the battalion were injured since arriving in Iraq in early March.

Ten of the battalion's reservists arrived weeks ago to prepare for the homecoming. The rest of the unit has been arriving in waves since Wednesday. The bulk of the unit _ Columbus, Ohio-based Lima Company _ flew into North Carolina late Friday.

The bittersweet homecomings have been mostly muted. The reservists will be debriefed for several days before they return to their various companies in Ohio, West Virginia and New York for more public festivities.

The Marines had suggested that families not travel to the North Carolina base because of the debriefings.

Despite that, Armando Dominguez and a son flew from Columbus, Ohio, to meet another son returning from Iraq. When Cpl. Jason Dominguez stepped off a bus delivering the Marines to their barracks, the younger man spotted his father and hugged him.

"I didn't know they were going to be here," said Jason Dominguez, who had just graduated from Ohio State University before he was activated for service. "This is the best welcome home I could get right here."

Armando Dominguez said the reunion was much more emotional than he expected.

Cpl. Matthew Abbott, 24, of Syracuse, N.Y., said when he gets home, he'll probably go out to dinner with his entire family. He's hoping for ribs. Cpl. Allen Payne, 23, said he'll spend time with family and catch up with friends when he returns the Columbus, Ohio area. Lance Cpl. Craig Miller, 24, of Washington Court House, Ohio, will spend time with his son, Madden, who was born Sept. 14.

"I was ecstatic to get home," said Miller, who arrived three weeks ago. "There were a lot of things I was looking forward to."

For a time, members of the battalion's Lima Company had been given the nickname "Lucky Lima" because it had not suffered any casualties or injuries in its first few months in Iraq.

After the deadly summer, the battalion captured the nation's heart and the White House said Friday that Vice President Dick Cheney plans to join them at a luncheon at Camp Lejeune on Monday.

Payne was speechless to learn Cheney would greet his unit.

"I don't even know how to describe it. He's the vice president of the United States," Payne said.