Troops welcomed home at BIA Residents, Bangor Lumberjacks baseball team join in greeting soldiers

BANGOR – An all-American scene greeted troops returning home from Germany Friday afternoon at Bangor International Airport as a red, white and blue clad crowd, complete with a baseball team, gathered around the gate.

“All that’s missing is some apple pie,” one member of the crowd commented.

The Bangor Lumberjacks baseball team joined a welcome party of more than 50 people who were waiting to shake the hands of the 130 Army Reserve troops from the 21st Theater Support Command who arrived in the United States for the first time in seven months.

“It was an incredible reception we got,” Maj. Nancy Williams of Carlisle, Pa., said. “When we got our passes to get back on the plane, the lady told us there would be a reception. We had no idea it would be like this, though.”

Both the troops and many greeters were overcome by emotion as the crowd erupted in applause as the first group of troops made their way into the terminal.

“This is beautiful,” one woman said as she made her way through the tunnel of well-wishers.

“This was a wonderful experience,” Lumberjacks manager Kash Beauchamp said. “There’s a real sense of pride more than anything, and I’m thankful for what these guys have done for us.”

Fourteen of the team’s players, wearing Lumberjack jerseys, lined up at the front of the crowd to say “welcome home.” The team skipped batting practice to attend the homecoming.

“We normally are at the ballpark right now, but this was too important,” Beauchamp said.

Friday afternoon was the 44th time this year that troops have stopped at BIA on their way home, and members of Support our Troops of Greater Bangor have tried to make each one special with patriotic music, flowers for the women and M&Ms.

Friday’s group, which was returning from Germany, had been stationed in different locations across Europe and the Middle East, including Poland, Romania, Iraq, Kuwait and Turkey. They now are headed to Fort Knox in Kentucky for a short stay before heading home.

“I am headed to Carlisle to see my 2-year-old. I already called my husband and said, ‘Guess what,'” Williams said.

The unit had been on active duty since Dec. 5., and Williams said she expects to be with her family again by the end of the month.

Master Sgt. Dwayne Keaton also was excited to get home to Indianapolis to see his wife.

“It was a great view just flying in here, just to see the U.S.,” Keaton said. “There’s no place like home.”

The troops found out they were returning to the United States on July 1, and many said they were surprised they were getting the return tickets.

“There’s still a lot of work to do. There are still a lot of missions being run over there,” Col. C.T. Montgomery said.

As the crowd thinned, the troops flooded the food counter and gift shop and made use of the free cellular phone calls offered by UNICEL. Many stopped to chat with the Lumberjacks and members of the community.

“A lot of people look up to professional athletes, but those are the people I look up to,” Beauchamp said.