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Cannons blasted and motorcycle engines roared, but as the pre-dawn parade rolled through Sunday morning, most of the city slept.
That didn’t matter to members of the Fort Wayne-based 221st Ordnance Company, who were happy to be home.
A few minutes shy of 7 a.m., they stood in formation before a crowd of wide-awake family and friends in Memorial Coliseum.
“It’s been a long journey and a whole year, and these fine men and women have worked tirelessly that whole time,” Capt. Detric Kelly told the crowd.
More than 170 Army Reserve soldiers served with the 221st in Afghanistan and Kuwait, where they deployed April 8, 2008. The company supplied ammunition support – more than $400 million worth – and kept troops supplied during a key battle, Kelly said.
“Be proud of the soldiers here today, as they made a mark on history,” he said to an applauding, cheering crowd. “Fort Wayne, be proud.”
The soldiers themselves were more subdued, a bit bleary-eyed from the overnight drive from Fort McCoy, Wis.
Staff Sgt. Charles Adams, 30, had caught some sleep on the bus. But he was eager to get home after returning from his third deployment.
His first deployment, to Honduras, was “laid-back.” His second, to Iraq, was the most dangerous, the father of four said. But this most recent wasn’t without its challenges – not the least of which was being away so long.
His young son Christian, wearing a Spider-Man T-shirt, stood back shyly.
“He’s bigger,” Adams said, touching his son’s head.
Adams’ mother, Christine Jones, said the repeated deployments are challenging and a little confusing for children.
“They don’t know if he’s going to go right back,” she said.
Paige Wendling’s military relationship is newer. Wendling of Bluffton welcomed Spc. Caleb Moore, 21.
The couple, who had been junior high classmates, began corresponding on the social networking Web site Facebook while Moore was deployed.
In October, when Moore came home on leave, he and Wendling began a whirlwind courtship.
“We dated a lot in two weeks,” Wendling said with a laugh.
A half-hour after the soldiers arrived, leather-clad motorcycle riders gathered near the exits, still rubbing chilled hands. Some of the Patriot Guard Riders and members of local American Legion posts had traveled from Churubusco, Auburn and Kendallville, starting their days at 5 a.m.
Getting up early and braving the morning frost were small prices to pay, said Corey Moore of Fort Wayne, a rider and member of Sons of the American Legion.
“It shows support for what they do over there, and support when they come back home,” Moore said. “There was other times they didn’t get respect for what they done.”
As the sun began warming the eastern sky, the crowd drifted toward the doors. The 44th Indiana Civil War Historical Association packed its cannon, which it had fired to herald the group’s arrival.
Two-year-old Hayden Buuck toddled toward his father, Staff Sgt. Jeremy Buuck of Convoy, Ohio, who was returning from his second deployment to Afghanistan. Hayden’s mother had brought a sign: “Daddy, You are Home from the Sandbox. Now Can We Play in Mine?”
Sara Buuck had dried her tears by 7:30 a.m., but her voice trembled.
“I pretty much lost it when the bus came in,” she said.
“It doesn’t get easier.”
