By Kathy Adams and Matthew Jones
NORFOLK
Standing on a crowded pier at Norfolk Naval Station on Wednesday, 5-year-old Sydni Funderburk strained to spot one sailor among the hundreds arriving.
"Lift me up, because I can't see my mom!" she yelled, pulling on the hand of her grandmother Debra Martin.
For Sydni and the thousands of other friends and family members who crowded the docks on this warm June day, "anticipation" could best be defined as T-R-U-M-A-N.
Mary Fehrenbach may well have been the first to spot the Truman as it rounded the corner on its last leg to the pier, just after 9 a.m. If so, she would win a family contest.
"I am Bobby's mom," read her T-shirt, referring to Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert Fehrenbach, an aviation electrician's mate aboard the carrier.
She'd come from Lexington, Ky., with her husband, son and two daughters, while the grandparents had flown in from Los Angeles. They were all wearing similar shirts with "I am Bobby's..." messages.
They moved into their Sandbridge rental on Monday, and were planning to take their sailor back there for barbecue and sun and sand. But for now, there was the more pressing question of who'd seen the ship first.
"Whoever wins gets a hug," she said.
"We never said that. She'd just push us out of the way anyway," said her daughter, Erin.
Down the pier in the New Moms' Tent, 3-month-old Kaylie Banks lay sleeping, a puff of pink on her mother Leslie's shoulder.
Since Kaylie was born in late February, Banks has been e-mailing photos to her husband, Kevin, an aviation boatswain's mate.
Kevin's parents and sister had all come from Fayetteville, N.C., to greet him and help the couple move into their new Norfolk apartment. His to-do list: walk off the ship, meet his daughter, get to work. Leslie said they'd allow him some lunch first.
For the next 30 minutes, the ship loomed ever larger as the tugs backed it in. Music coursed from the shipboard speakers as the sailors manning the rail launched red, white and blue crepe paper in long arcs toward the pier.
Families tried finding one another with cell phones, dialing and talking and pointing and waving. The unloading began.
Petty Officer 1st Class Ted Boldt's ceremonial first kiss with his wife, Kelly, turned into roughly 100 kisses. Then the new dads got off.
"Heeeey," said Kevin Banks as he took Kaylie in his arms. She began to cry.
"Aw, there she goes," he said.
"She was fussy anyway," said Leslie.
"She's so pretty," he said. "I'm at a loss for words. Say, 'Daddy.' Say, 'Daddy.' "
"She's going to say 'Mama' first anyway," Leslie informed him.
The other ships followed soon afterward.
Chesapeake's Lisa Walker waited with her two daughters for her husband, Chief Petty Officer James Walker, to get off the San Jacinto. She said the biggest deployment challenge was single-handedly overseeing the household.
"You're plan A, B, C and D, so if anything goes down, it's all on you," said the school librarian. "Nothing bad has happened, thank goodness."
For the Sharpe family, deployment and separation have become an accepted way of life.
"We're good at this," said Carole Sharpe, wife of San Jacinto's commanding officer, Capt. Matthew Sharpe.
For them, the sacrifice is worth it.
"They visited a lot of ports, and they felt like they served the country like they wanted to do," she said.
At long last, Sydni Funderburk's mother, Petty Officer 2nd Class Jennifer Funderburk, stepped off the Oscar Austin. Mother and daughter exchanged roses and tearful hugs as Sydni's grandmother, Debra Martin, watched.
Leaving Sydni behind tore Jennifer up, Debra said. "She misses her and she misses everything she does, like her dance recital and graduation from kindergarten."
"It was a long seven months," Jennifer said. "I'm very, very happy and it's a big relief."
Kathy Adams, (757) 446-2583, kathy.adams@pilotonline.com
Matthew Jones, (757) 446-2949, matthew.jones@pilotonline.com
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Pink Shoes
I believe that this picture celebrates the spirit of a homecoming. Navy wives hold down the fort and work hard for months, isn't possible that we might actually think about wearing shoes such as these to a home coming. Most of us do not, but the thought is there. The shoes tell a story, it is just that we do not know the exact story. When you go to the pier you usually wear something, or bring something, that your husband will see or notice in the crowd. These pink shoes certainly did the trick. Also I love that the shoes had a Payless tag on the sole, showing she did not intentionally pay good money for the pink shoes. But now they have paid for themselves in press time and memories. I thank the photographer for showing us another side of homecoming. Children and flags are the norm, but these pink shoes are reality!!!!! Check out the other photos in the batch, they are just as intriguing. Welcome home sailors!!!!
Welcome home!
Those of you complaining about the pink shoes have probably not met a ship at the pier before. Believe me, what I saw while waiting for the USS Stout in December was so much worse than pink shoes!
If the shoes offend you, I urge you not to look in the windows of the cars parked at the piers....
Props to her for looking hot for her husband who has been away for 7 months!
PInk shoes picture
The pink shoes picture is awesome! To me there is nothing inappropriate or bad about it (an insult to women in the military, what???), it's just a young wife welcoming her husband home! After 7 months I bet he's thrilled to be coming home to her rather than to one of those Navy wives in her "I love My Sailor" t shirt and sweatpants... As for showing a flag-waving kid, that's what they ALWAYS show and it's nice to see a picture that catches your attention for once.
citizen 2583
Who said anything that implied non thanks or "impugn your honor " as you put it.
Pink Shoes
The pink shoes were great but she should have taken the time to remove the price tag. lol
shoes
Loved the photos of the shoes; to bad the price tag was showing on the bottom
Pink Shoes...
It says that a wife is waiting for a husband. I know if I was out to see, away from my wife, for 7 months I'd rather see her in pink high heels and a trench coat with nothing under it rather then a flag. This isn't about what you want to see, it's about the sailors... Get over it, if you like looking at flags go buy yourself one. Let the man enjoy his woman. Unless she is one of those navy wives that get all frumpy while their poor husband is out to sea. I feel bad for those guys, they get off the ship all excited and bam its like "wow honey, you look...... great??...sighhhhh” you all know what I am talking about ,they show it on the news all the time. A physically fit guy walking off the boat to a wife that has exploded while he was gone.
Ozzy
Too funny, and so true!!!!
Welcome Home
I agree that this photo reminds us of the 1930's however, we are in 2008! I think this implication is an outright insult to the many women who serve in the military! Where is the "Naked Cowboy" on the pier??
Welcome home
Thank you for your service.
On your worst day you are better men and women then the armchair patriots here who would impugn your honor.
Welcome Home!!
Welcome home, shipmates!!! Enjoy your well deserved time off!
Welcome Home
I guess there won't be any ladies at the bars this weekend. Hey, if you happen to see my toothbrush just keep it. I already bought another one.
Thank You
I want to thank all the service men and women, and all of the families of these service men and women. Without you, we would not enjoy the freedoms we have. It would be an honor to shake hands with all of you. Thank you very much.
Pink high-heeled shoes and ankle tatoo?
What is the photographer implying here? My, oh, my...have times changed...
pink shoes
As a person that has been pier side awaiting a loved one to come home after a long deployment, you do see all sorts of signs, banners, etc. etc. and you do occasionally see people dressed "inappropriately" in my opinion for a "hero's welcome". Though I really admit that emotions and hormones that may be in play here, but could there at least been a showing of a little more patriotism for the men and women that just came home. With the picture only of the pink shoes, one's mind tends to think there is a trench coat with nothing underneath that goes along them. So please if you can next time show a flag or showing a child excited to see mom or dad coming home!
awesome pic
That pic has GOT to get an award that is very 1930's ish bravo to the photographer
Photo
I agree, the photo of the shoes with the ship and sailors in the background is an awesome shot! Good job Mr. Facun!
END OF PICNIC
Now that the ship's are in, the bars will be empty...oh wait, another carrier just left >;)
The Photo
That is an awesome photograph!
Where's your PIO??
Isn't there a Public Information office for MSC and if so , why aren't they doing there job and bugging the media for coverage. Squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Why cry about MSC?
Who was crying? A repeated request for years for those who are forgotten about and deploy at a far higher rate than combatant vessels is only asking for fair coverage not crying as you put it.
Forget the Negative for 5 Minutes
Welcome home!!! I hope all of you have a great homecoming surrounded by your family, friends, and supporters!
WHY CRY ABOUT MSC
There is a lot missed in the news. They only cover the liberal side. There is a lot more to mention in the news when a carrier group comes in and it is not just the MSC that doesn't get the lime light so stop your self petty.
Welcome Home
I wanted to extend a hail and hearty welcome Home to the men and women of the USS Harry S. Truman. You have been missed. Well done, faithful servants of the USA.
That picture's FROM Ft
That picture's FROM Ft Monroe, looking towards Willoughby. If the bow had been to the left in the picture, it would have been going out to sea, but it's to the right, thus inbound.
In the phot it looks like
In the phot it looks like the ship is leaving.
USNS?
And the Battle Group did all this without any support from Military Sealift Command I suppose. Once again the ships, men and women of MSC are not mentioned but will be redeployed again for 6-7 month's and return before any of those listed deploys again.