7am News, Sports and Obits
Latest WGIL news
Click to play or
Right click and "Save Target As" to download
Click for Galesburg, Illinois Forecast
Home - Cancellations - Community Events - Contact Us - Mornings - News - Obituaries - Pictures - Programs - Special Events Audio - Sports - Weather
Local Soldiers Recognized After Service in Egypt
The 2nd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery Regiment returned home in May from a year-long peacekeeping mission in Sinai, Egypt.

Saturday, 90 National Guard soldiers of this unit, better known as Charlie Battery, were welcomed back officially by friends and family at the Galesburg Armory.

First Sergeant Joseph Bratcher tells WGIL an endeavor such as the Freedom Salute Ceremony is a high honor.

"It's real nice to recognize the soldiers, especially the younger ones that really do the heavy lifting for the unit," Bratcher says. "It's nice to get them out there and meet the civilian leaders, especially the mayor, and [State Representative] Don Moffitt coming out was really nice. It's appreciated and motivates the soldiers to keep doing what they do."

In Sinai National Guard Soldiers were responsible for manning six to eight observation posts and providing emergency and force protection support.

Operation Enduring Freedom, as it was called, helped to install peace along the Egyptian border with Israel.

First Sergeant Bratcher says "Charlie Battery" will next train specifically as a field artillery unit for the prospect of war.


(Members of Charlie Battery display a commemorative portrait of an American flag during Saturday's National Guard Freedom Salute in Galesburg. WGIL News Story and Photo by Kyle Schassburger.)
08 06 11 by Newsroom
News management powered by Xpression News

Click here for the WGIL News Archive

Click here for national news

The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.