Amanda Davis fell into Petty Officer 1st Class Paul Mudge's arms after he got off a plane yesterday that brought him home from Iraq.

“;It's a good feeling,”; said Davis, who was waiting nervously before her boyfriend arrived. “;It's been a long six, seven months.”;

About 20 sailors of Patrol Squadron 9 returned yesterday to Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Hawaii on a P-3C Orion airplane from Iraq.

Three more sailors were expected to land late last night, completing the return of 350 squadron sailors who left for Iraq almost seven months ago.

Half of the squadron came back last week, and about 170 returned this week.

“;It took a lot of work to get everything organized to get everybody back before Thanksgiving,”; said Cmdr. Curt Phillips, squadron commanding officer. “;It brings a lot more meaning to Thanksgiving.”;

Phillips' wife and three children greeted him.

Page Phillips, his oldest daughter, said she could not wait another night for his return. “;I didn't want it to be tomorrow because I got all excited about today.”;

While stationed at Ali Air Base, near Nasiriyah in southern Iraq, the “;Golden Eagles”; worked on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for the Marines, Air Force and Army. Normally the patrol craft are assigned to ocean reconnaissance and submarine tracking, but they are capable of overland missions as well.

The returning sailors will have 96 hours off before returning to work next week.

This will be the first Thanksgiving that Lt. Cmdr. Jason Gmeiner has spent with his family in two years.

“;It's perfect,”; he said, adding that the tour was rewarding. “;Everybody over in Iraq's working real hard, putting in long days, so it's nice to be home and to spend time with family now. A little time off will be good.”;

After seven months he was surprised by the changes in his two sons, Jake, 8, and Gavin, 4.

“;You're not used to seeing little people,”; he said. “;It's always neat to be back around them. They still seem small.”;

Hawaii Marines Return Home

 

Just in time for the holidays, just a dozen of marines came back home after an Iraq tour overseas.

 

[ Watch ]

 

 

 

 

  Yolanda Jones made her husband's return a special surprise for 5-year-old Jalen, who did not know his father would return until he arrived at Kaneohe Marine Corps Base.

“;He was shocked,”; she said.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Tony Jones, Jalen's father, finished his sixth and probably last deployment before he retires.

“;It's very special,”; he said of the homecoming.

Navy Cmdr. Joyce Blanchard, 42, wearing a red flower-print dress, held back tears behind sunglasses until after her husband got off the plane.

“;It's been hard, especially with him in Iraq,”; said Blanchard, who also served there.

Her husband, Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Baldauff, said he would do the tour over the same way if he could.

“;The timing couldn't have been better,”; he said. In December he will have two weeks' leave to spend with his wife.

“;My wife and I are just going to stay local and relax, get to know the islands again,”; he said.