Family and Friends Welcome Home the 1138th from Afghanistan

Hundreds of family and friends—many holding signs and balloons—waited anxiously for the return of their solders from Afghanistan Saturday afternoon at the . The Missouri National Guard unit had arrived at Lambert Airport around 11 a.m. Saturday morning and was then bused to the church, where they waited out of sight in another room. The crowd burst into applause when the soldiers filed in and took their seats.

The 1138th Transportation Company is based out of . They’ve spent the l, Afghanistan, where they ran more than 90 convoy missions to deliver supplies to operating bases. Before returning home, more than a dozen soldiers were awarded the Bronze Star and more than 100 soldiers received the .

The soldiers were welcomed home by several government officials, including Gov. Jay Nixon and Congressman Russ Carnahan.

Spc. Amber Sue Steward and Pfc. Maurice Edwards Jr. were among those welcomed home.

They along with more than 15 other North County natives made it back including:

• Sgt. Muragu Waronjo of Berkeley
• Spc. Michael Lubinski of Bridgeton
• Sgt. Lydell Randell of Ferguson
• Sgt. Vanisha Walker of Florissant
• Spc. Raven Williams of Florissant
• Sgt. Lewis Macklin of Florissant
• Pfc. Douglas Stroder of Florissant
• Spc. Seven Throm of Florissant
• Spc. Thomas Tumbrink of Florissant
• Spc. Frank Sands of Florissant
• Spc. Stephen Jones of Florissant
• Sgt. Marcelle Gardner of Florissant
• Pfc. Andreas Bumbry of Florissant
• Spc. Golden Edmond, III of Florissant
• Spc. Logan Irish of Maryland Heights
• Sgt. Stanley Little of Maryland Heights
• Sgt. Cody Niedringhaus of St. Ann

View the day's homecoming in the above photo slideshow.

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