4thBRIGADE, 2nd INFANTRY DIVISON
WELCOME HOME AND COLORS UNCASING CEREMONY – July 1, 2008, Ft Lewis,
WA
Reported By Lloyd Wirkkala and John Mavon
The ceremony started at 10:00 hours with the entire 4th Brigade of
the 2nd Infantry Division present on the parade grounds. It is quite
a sight to see almost 4,000 troops in a single formation before you.
The post commander (LTG Charles Jacoby, Jr) and 4th Brigade
commander (Col John Lehr) did a review of the troops. Then, Norm
Dicks, a Washington state representative, spoke and thanked the
troops for their service. Also, an officer gave a brief time line of
the brigade’s 15 months in Iraq. Wounded troopers then marched out
to be with their fellow troopers. Then all four 2-1 Cavalry
Association members present (Lloyd Wirkkala, John Mavon, Bill
Truitt, and John Pederson) went out to help the 2nd Squadron, 1st
Cavalry Commanding Officer, LTC Marshall Dougherty, uncased the
unit’s colors. When the ceremony ended, our group went back out on
the field to welcome home and thank the Blackhawk troopers for their
service and a job well done. It was a very touching and emotional
time for all of us. We were invited to Squadron Headquarters to have
lunch (which lasted 2 1/2 hours) and visit with LTC Dougherty, and
the new CSM Kevin Griffin. All of four of us came away impressed
with the unit, its leaders and troops and the accomplishments while
deployed in Iraq.