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Charles City soldiers welcomed home with drive-by parade

Charles City soldiers welcomed home with drive-by parade
Conor Sherman, Austin Ferch, Mitchel Fox, Nick Jacobs, and Dallas Nehls — CCHS Class of 2016; Dave Dejongoy and Jaden Foster — CCHS Class of 2017; and Marco Concepcion and Elizabeth White — CCHS Class of 2018; were honored with a drive-by parade Saturday morning as they all recently returned from a year’s deployment in the Middle East. (Press photo James Grob.)
Charles City soldiers welcomed home with drive-by parade
Conor Sherman shakes the hands of people expressing gratitude for his service as nine Charles City soldiers who recently returned from a year’s deployment in the Middle East and were honored with a “drive-by” parade. (Press photo James Grob.)
Charles City soldiers welcomed home with drive-by parade
People drove by and honked and waved Saturday for the nine Charles City soldiers who recently returned from a year’s deployment in the Middle East and were honored with a “drive-by” parade. (Press photo James Grob.)
Charles City soldiers welcomed home with drive-by parade
People drove by and honked and waved Saturday for the nine Charles City soldiers who recently returned from a year’s deployment in the Middle East and were honored with a “drive-by” parade. (Press photo James Grob.)
By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Conor Sherman was all smiles, as were the other eight soldiers. It was good to be back in Charles City.

“We’re all happy to be home, and we’ve gotten great support here from our family and friends,” Sherman said Saturday morning, seated on a flatbed trailer in downtown Charles City.

Sherman was appointed to be the spokesman for the nine Charles City soldiers who recently returned from a year’s deployment in the Middle East and were honored with a “drive-by” parade Saturday morning.

All are alumni of Charles City High School. In their honor, the field lights at Comet Field and the ball diamonds were green last week, to show appreciation for their service.

They are Sherman, Austin Ferch, Mitchel Fox, Nick Jacobs, and Dallas Nehls — Class of 2016; Dave Dejongoy and Jaden Foster — Class of 2017; and Marco Concepcion and Elizabeth White — Class of 2018. Like good soldiers, all were present and accounted for Saturday morning.

The eight men are all part of the 1-133rd Headquarters Company and served in Qatar. They arrived home Tuesday to a welcome ceremony at the Waterloo airport. The ceremony was closed to the public and streamed online.

White serves in Company B and arrived home last Friday to a welcome ceremony at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids.

The members of 1-133rd Infantry Battalion were supporting Operation Spartan Shield in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, which encompasses 27 countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

People were encouraged to drive by the trailer — in vehicles decorated patriotically if they desired — and wave to and shout out greetings and welcome-home wishes to the returned Guard members. Some even stepped out of their vehicles and presented the service members with gifts — candy, coupons, gift cards and other items.

Some veterans offered handshakes, and expressed respect and gratitude.

“One of the moms contacted me, and wanted to do something, so I thought this might be kind of a fun idea,” said Charles City Mayor Dean Andrews, who said that normal parades are not yet appropriate, due to continuing pandemic mitigation. “It’s nice to welcome them back to town, and welcome them back safely.”

Sherman said it was good to be back after more than 10 months in Qatar.

“Qatar was very warm, and a lot different from the United States,” he said. “The culture is different, the people are different, but the people are very nice there.”

Sherman said he felt well-prepared to do what he and the others where assigned to do there, but it was nice to be back in Charles City.

The other eight soldiers were in agreement. It was good to be home.

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