Homecoming

POLSON - After seven months in Iraq, Marine L/Cpl. John Sorensen breathed in fresh, clean Mission Valley air as he enjoyed a homecoming dinner at Grandma Frances Abbey's farm home on Back Road, west of Pablo, last Sunday.

It was quite a contrast from the 120+ degree highs and 80 and 90 degree low temperatures that he experienced at the big Al Asad air base where his company was headquartered with the 2d Battalion, 7th Marines.

"Actually, it was cold in March when I arrived in Iraq," he said, but summer was a different story - especially when having to wear full battle gear and kevlar vests.

Trained as a 81-mm mortarman, Sorensen found no call for that particular skill where he was stationed. In fact, he never even fired his gun. But that didn't mean he wasn't in hazardous situations.

Family welcomes John Sorensen home from Iraq

His platoon was part of a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) that responded within minutes to various calls, they patrolled supply routes, blew up land mines, did escort duties, and more.

At first the unit was assigned to QRF duty two days at a time, then two days ecort, two days patrol, then two days off - with much of the days off spent sleeping.

When they first patrolled in Humvees the Iraqis stared at the strange vehicles. They had been used to seeing soldiers patrolling with tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles. The Humvees were not armor plated, although later some plating was added.

"Most of the QRF calls seemed to come at night," he said.

The closest call he had was when his Humvee was passing a truck carrying about seven soldiers. As Sorensen's vehicle came along side the truck, a landmine exploded beneath one of the truck tires. One man was blown out of the truck bed and sustained non-life threatening injuries and the other occupants all sustained concussions.

Another spooky experience occurred when Sorensen was on guard duty in a fruit orchard. He heard occasional "thumps" and couldn't tell if the noises were from insurgents moving around in the trees, or animals, or just what. It turned out to be fruit dropping from the trees onto the ground!

Sorensen said that he felt had a much better tour than some other outfits who were engaged in occasional fire fights, targeted by snipers or faced ambushes.

For the first three months after he arrived in Iraq, Sorensen and his unit lived in tents. Then they moved into "tin shoe boxes" large enough to hold a bunk bed and a couple lockers. "But they had air conditioning - when the electricity worked," he said.

Sorensen described the air base as a big community - with a post exchange with a large assortment of items for purchase, restaurants, operated by Iraqis, a church, some stores, a gym and fitness center, places to play chess and other board games.

As to the Iraqi food, he said, it wasn't bad but consumer beware. He said, "You'd better have plenty of toilet paper handy just in case."

Sorensen said he enjoyed throwing hard candies to kids as they came out of school. "Trouble was," he said, "some of the kids who had no candy would take it from those who did get some." In one instance, he even noticed an Iraqi policeman taking candy from a child.

The people, he said, would wave and smile as patrols drove by

Most of the people were glad that Saddam Hussein was out of power, but "it's an impatient populace," he said. "They're like teenagers wanting to get out on their own before they're ready."

But in view of the insurgents and their ruthless attacks on Iraqi civilians and police and oil lines, "if we pulled out now, everything would go down hill."

Where he was stationed, the mood of the troops was described as "frustrating." They had to defend against individuals or groups trying to kill them, and "we weren't getting to repay the favor."

After two weeks home, Sorensen will be stationed again at Twentynine Palms, Calif., where he received his first training. "From desert to desert," he commented. Probably in another seven months he'll be rotated back to Iraq.

Gathered round the dinner table with John were proud family members - Gary and Frances Abbey, Margaret Burke, Herbert and June Sorensen, Theresa Walter and John's parents, KC and Cindy Sorensen.

The Marine told them that he really appreciated the almost daily letters he received from them, the pictures, candy (especially the huckleberry items),

and more.

Incidentally, he advised people sending tapes to the troops to send DVDs rather than VHF tapes.