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GARY T. KUBOTA / GKUBOTA@STARBULLETIN.COM Close to 40 members of the 411th Engineer Battalion were welcomed home in a celebration on Maui yesterday. Hundreds of people lined the half-mile parade route along Kanaloa Avenue and helped to organize festivities at a park near the War Memorial Gym in Wailuku.

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Reservists get
parade on Maui

WAILUKU » Amid crowd cheers and music from the Royal Hawaiian Band, close to 40 Maui Army reservists who served in Iraq were welcomed home in a parade and celebration on Maui yesterday.

Several hundred people lined a half-mile parade route in Wailuku along Kanaloa Avenue, and some 900 people helped in organizing the festivities at a park near War Memorial Gym for the Maui members of the 411th Engineer Battalion who served a year in Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Roy Quitevis who has served in the 411th said he felt good about the homecoming.

"It brings the community and families together," Quitevis said.

Quitevis, who will be returning to his job as a UPS driver on May 20, said he missed his son Travis' first and second birthday.

"It's been a long year," he said.

The soldiers who were attached to the Texas-based 1st Calvary Division while in Iraq sang, "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon," as they marched down the avenue along with a motorcade of dignitaries that included Gov. Linda Lingle, Congressman Ed Case, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa and Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann.

A Windward Aviation helicopter swept over the parade to make a plumeria drop over the marching soldiers.

Also participating in the parade were veterans of several past conflicts, including World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

The parade's grand marshal was 82-year-old Kiyoshi Kishimoto who served in the Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team in World War II.

During a gift ceremony under a big tent, 411th soldiers presented their spouses or a family member with a commemorative lapel pin, thanking them for their support.

The 411th Engineers were mobilized in January 2004 and returned on March 25.

No one in the nearly 600-member unit died, although four were injured and received Purple Hearts, including three residents from the Big Island and a fourth from Tennessee.

Gov. Lingle said she was proud of the work done by the 411th Engineers in helping reconstruct a nation, such as assisting in the democratic elections.

"You helped to rebuild a nation and protect the freedom of our country," she said.

Special events coordinator Lisa Texeira said more than 50 businesses have donated various gifts to the soldiers, including dinners and hotel stays.

Bill Stroud, president of the Vietnam Veterans of Maui County, said while his veterans group never had a welcome home like the one yesterday, he was happy that his organization could help make the parade and event possible.

Several peace activists held signs along the parade route calling for the withdrawal of American troops.

Stroud said he's aware of the split in opinion about the Iraq War but his group felt the parade and event was about honoring the soldiers.

"I don't know many veterans gung ho on the war, but they definitely support the guys," he said.