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Community Corner

Local Marine Receives Hero's Homecoming

Crowds welcome soldier at Wool Street Grill and Sports Bar.

Friends and family of a Barrington Marine gave him a hero's welcome home on April 29. 

Chief Warrant Officer Bruce Johnson, who served in the Afghanistan war zone with the U.S. Marine Corps, returned home after a year long tour of duty. Friends and family were determined that his homecoming wouldn’t go unnoticed and by all measures, they succeeded.

Youngsters dressed in red, white, blue, and carrying flags congregated at the corner of Main Street and Wool, waiting for the returning Marine.  To pass the time they chanted, gesture at drivers to elicit honks and sang such songs, as “It’s a Grand Old Flag.”   Squealing with excitement, they peered down Main Street, hoping for the first glimpse of the family.

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Soon the sound of sirens went from a whine to a scream as the Barrington Police and Fire Department led the soldier home, followed by the rumble of motorcycles belonging to members of the Warriors Watch an organization, which prides itself on supporting military families.

Cheers erupted as a black SUV filled with the Johnson Family, a son hanging from a window, recording the event.  Johnson looked on in amazement from the passenger side window.

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As the procession made it’s way toward Wool Street Grill and Sports Bar, adults and children waved, cheered, laughed out loud, and cried.  Outside the restaurant, Frank Perhats, World War II  vet and Bob Crowther, who served in Vietnam, waited to salute, thank, and welcome the soldier home. 

Paul A. Corwin, Vietnam Vet and Post Commander of Barrington VFW 7706 makes it a practice to meet every returning soldier in Barrington, even if they arrive in the middle of the night, with a well-deserved celebration. 

When asked if he received a welcome when he returned home from Vietnam he answered with head bowed, “You know the answer to that.”

When Johnson stepped out of the vehicle, hand on his heart in gratitude, the crowd broke into cheers as one after another clasped the sturdy man to their chest and held out their hand to meet his.

After most had the chance to welcome him, Johnson stood in the street and addressed his thanks to the crowd, speaking of the mission he’d returned from, his family and friends, and the help and support they’d sent in the form of care boxes and prayer.  “The year went by very quickly and I’m grateful for this,” he said.  “I’m grateful for my wife and family and I swear they had it worse than I did.  All the support I got from friends, this community, Hough Street School.”

“Those packages from home and letters and just news from back home and that somebody cares, it makes a huge difference,” he continued.  “And everything I got -which really was a lot of goodies- I shared them.  The Brits want to know where Trader Joe’s is.”   

The crowd laughed and cheered in reaction, the children in attendance giddily hopping about.

He continued to speak about such issues as the creation of schools for women and girls and agricultural support in Afghanistan, acknowledging that a great deal of money is being spent there.  “There’s a lot being spent there, not just in money, but you’d be proud of the progress that’s being made,” he said.

“Thank you,” Johnson said, finally to more cheers.  “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

After a moment, a small voice, most likely one of the Johnson children, began to sing “The Star Spangled Banner,” as the crowd strained to hear.  Eventually they joined, singing in a subdued, respectful choir.

After, Johnson’s wife made her way through the crowd, clutching a bouquet of tulips, occasionally wiping tears from behind her dark glasses. “Kate Middleton married her prince today,” she said. “And my prince finally came home.”  

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