The signs said it all.

“No place like home.”

“Welcome home 634.”

“Honk 4 Me, my daddy is home from Iraq.”

“Daddy” is Sgt. Gene Darraugh, a veteran of 10 years. All five of his children were there – Casey, 17, Chase, 12, Kyrsten, 6, Mia, 3 and Ava, 1. They came to Mattoon to welcome their dad and the rest of the 162 Army National Guard Soldiers from Alpha company in their return home from Iraq early Saturday morning.

Alpha company is one of the eight companies in the battalion and is the only one in Mattoon. Trained as a support battalion, they went through several months of retraining to serve in a military police role, guarding detainees brought in by other units.

People watched from their front lawns and drivers pulled over. Some drivers and passengers got out to wave and watch the procession.

When they filed off the airplane into the humid air, they seemed a faceless mass of green and khaki. They weren’t marching – they were walking easily through the flags the Veterans of Foreign War held, past the noisemakers, cheers and calls of “welcome home” and “thank you.”

Then as they passed the gate they became individuals – reflective tape held a man’s sweatshirt to his pack, a woman gently held her stuffed dog.

Groups in attendance included the VFW, Sons of the American Legion, the American Legion and the Legion Riders.

Part of Boy Scout Troop 141 of Mattoon also showed up.

Steve Swies said it was because his son Chris’s Eagle Scout project had been to assemble care packages to send to the soldiers.

Chris said that the packages included things like hygiene products and food.

“Popcorn and things. The stuff they don’t get,” Steve Swies said.

Dana Denny of Mattoon, leader of the local VFW, said they were going to stay out of the way.

“We’re not gonna bug them or anything; they need to be with their families,” he said.

Others showed up as individuals or families.

The Perrys of Mattoon were one such family.

Brad Perry said they just came to show support.

His wife Jackie said it became important to support the troops after one of the soldiers from their church, Calvary Baptist in Gayes, died at 21.

Brad Perry said that they wanted to “show the little ones that those guys mean business.” The little ones were their sons, Luke and Benjamin, who swung on the light post as they waited for the plane to land.

Soldiers surged toward the buses to take them to the football field, returning to a mass of olive drab and beige. Then they broke at the doors of the three buses, and returned to being individuals. They smiled; there wasn’t much talk.

Visitors included a large number of bikers from the Patriot Guard Riders, who formed a long column of motorcycles behind the three buses the soldiers took.

Carpenter’s Local 347 brought out their Freedom Float. Four years old, it has been to many events and many towns.

Caroline Tucker of Charleston and Pauline Browning of Mattoon rode the open float in the long column that snaked through the city of Mattoon from the airport.

They waved at the cars and people standing in their yards as the hot air whipped at their hair.

They passed the Kentucky Fried Chicken Sign-“Welcome home 634th, 12 piece thigh and leg $9.99.”

The unit arrived at the Junior Football Field and was soon ringed by a crowd five people thick.

As they formed up into their clean ranks they were an even, mechanical mass again. They stood respectfully for a few short speeches by local dignitaries and a benediction.

Then their battalion commander, Col. Dave Matakes, took the stage.

He spoke of teamwork and appreciation.

“I know I’m in the most dangerous place, between you and your families,” he said.

The military training held as the order to dismiss was performed with automatic regularity.

“You are dismissed” had barely escaped the man’s mouth before the ranks broke apart.

The crowd that ringed the filed rushed in.

There were hugs that were brutally gentle – they seemed strong enough to crush ribs, but both held each other so tightly they were safe.

The world vanished for a moment, and the other person became the entire world for a moment.

One soldier had his shoulder daubed by the tears of his mother and sister, but most people stuck to hugs, kisses and happy talk.

The entire troop came home without any casualties.

“You can say it’s incredible, and it is incredible,” Matakes said.

He likened their return to having children.

“You send one child off to school and you’re worried. You send 162, and well.” he said.

There were no serious injuries in the unit. One of the worst was Sgt. Lee Giboney, father of five, who hurt his knee during his normal duties. Leaning on a cane, he said he planned just to enjoy life.

His fiancee, Mercy, interrupted to say he was also going to work on the house.

He grinned a little sheepishly.

“Having everyone home was the most important thing,” said Capt. Randolph Edwards, who commanded the company while they were in Iraq.

He plans to take a vacation and just relax with his wife and two children.

Spec. Catherine Norman had much of her family there to greet her.

Her father, Tom, said when she joined he felt apprehensive, but patriotic at the same time. Her grandfather was a military man and had inspired her to go into the military from her previous job as a bartender.

“You couldn’t ask more from a daughter,” Tom Norman said.

Catherine Norman is not sure what her future holds.

“I don’t know what I am going to do, but I look forward to it,” she said.

First Lt. Mandi Ernst said the battalion would be checking on its soldiers every month to ensure they were reintegrating well.

All soldiers will have at least 90 days leave, Matakes said.

Ernst held a banner in both hands and leaned easily against the weight of her pack.

Signed by every member of the unit, the banner was to be given to the VFW.

“They held a party for us before we left and supported us while we were over there,” she said.

Spec. Jacob Bryant said he wasn’t sure what to say.

“(I’m) kinda short on thoughts; don’t know what to say, what to do,” he said.

He intends to work on his house, now that he has the time and money to do so.

Matakes was excited to see his company home.

“I don’t think people realize it’s all volunteer. The Army is all volunteer,” he said. “When they asked, (the soldiers) put their hands up and said ‘pick me.'”

Beatriz Ryan embraces her daughter Carolina King at the Junior Football League fields in Mattoon Saturday evening. Soldiers are at least off duty for 90 days and are unsure if they will have to be deployed again. Amir Prellberg/The Daily Eastern News

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