Home from Iraq

By Elise Franco

After a seven-month tour in Iraq, one Marine met his new baby boy.

VIENNA — With tears in her eyes and a smile on her face, Kelly Clark held Carter, her 2-month-old son, in her arms, awaiting the arrival of her husband.

Thursday night Michael Clark of Akron and 28 other Marine Reserves with the Landing Support Equipment Company, 4th Landing Support Battalion of the 4th Marine Logistics Group returned from a seven-month deployment in Iraq.

Thursday night Michael Clark met his son for the first time.

Kelly said before her husband’s arrival that she couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he laid eyes on his child.

“He’s so excited,” she said. “I know he’s going to cry.

After hugging his wife, Clark took an emotional first look at his son.

“This is unbelievable,” he said, holding Carter close. “All the pictures in the world don’t do him justice.”

Clark said being away from Kelly while she was pregnant was difficult, and he’s glad to be home.

“I just look forward to being a dad,” he said.

Friends and family of the 29 reservists gathered at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station with signs, banners, balloons and smiles on their faces to welcome their Marines back home.

They were stationed primarily in the Fallujah area conducting security operations in and outside of the camp perimeter, and were attached to the 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion from Cherry Point, N.C.

Just across the room, Jeff and Jeanie Cook of Greenwich, Ohio, greeted their son Joe.

“It felt like a hole — a hole in your life,” said Jeff of how it felt to have his 20-year-old son overseas. “We can’t wait to have him back.”

He said waiting for Joe’s return was a little bit like waiting for Christmas Day.

“It’s the anticipation,” he said. “You know it’s going to soon. ... The best news was one, when we found out he actually left Iraq, and two, when he landed.

“It was such a big relief.”

Jeanie said most of all she couldn’t wait to see her son’s smile.

“He just keeps us going,” she said.

Now that he’s back home, Joe said he just wants to spend as much time as possible with his family.

“They got really big so fast,” he said, laughing as his younger brother and sister climbed all over him excitedly. “It’s wonderful to be back.”

efranco@vindy.com