On May 27, 2008, my son, a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, deployed for Iraq with the 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Bravo Company. The 1/25 sent 55 Marines to augment the 2/25 out of New York. They will spend the summer training in 29 Palms California before deploying to Iraq in late September for a seven-month tour.
Here is the news coverage of the sendoff on May 27, 2008 in Londonderry, NH:
Union Leader:
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline='Ready+to+go%2C'+Marines+say&articleId=7f44b37a-e309-4e44-8668-44ba12987df4
Union Leader slide show - My son and his girlfriend are in front of the yellow Mustang at 1:48 and my son again at 1:14
http://www.unionleader.com/uploads/media-items/slideshows/52608Marinesshipout/index.html
Union Leader (print version): Same article, but the photo of Kim and Christophe are on the front page and above the fold.
WMUR (local Manchester, NH ABC affiliate):
http://www.wmur.com/news/16398755/detail.html (plus video link)
WBZ TV 4 Boston (NBC affiliate):
http://wbztv.com/video/[email protected]
Article: http://wbztv.com/local/newhampshire/londonderry.parade.memorial.2.733352.html
The Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2008/05/25/members_of_nh_based_unit_headed_back_to_iraq/
The Concord Monitor:
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080526/NEWS01/805260319
The Nashua Telegraph (at the bottom of the article):
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080527/NEWS02/255986075/-1/YOUTH
We're counting the days until their safe return home in April/May 2009.