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Putnam County soldiers make it home for Thanksgiving
Three Putnam County families had something extra to be thankful for this year -- their soldiers made it home from Iraq in time for Thanksgiving.
Spc. Anthony Smith and Spc. Loren Leonard, both of Greencastle, and Spc. Joseph Cope of Bainbridge, members of Alpha Battery 2nd Battalion 150th Field Artillery, all came home late Wednesday morning. Smith and Leonard were transported to the National Guard Armory in Greencastle, while Cope was taken to Stout Field in Indianapolis.
Spc. Smith was deployed in January. He was welcomed home Wednesday by his wife Judith and daughters Kaitlyn and Jordan Gill and Emma-Claire Smith.
"He just called me last night to tell me he was coming in today," Judith said, smiling brightly.
The Smiths have been together for 15 years. They were married in February.
"It is great to be back," Spc. Smith said. "I can't really talk too much about what I did over there ... I will say it was interesting, and I'm glad to be home. I wish I could say something about it; I just can't."
Judith noted that her husband's homecoming took place "right back where we started."
"This is where he enlisted," she said, looking around the armory. "This is where he began his military service."
Spc. Leonard -- who, like Spc. Smith, is a Greencastle High School graduate -- was deployed in March. He was rendered speechless when he finally made it back home.
"Words can't describe it," he said. "We got a police escort through Crawfordsville ... it's just kind of overwhelming, the support we get from people."