300 Soldiers Home for Holiday After 24-Hour Storm Delay

Nearly 300 soldiers returning from Somalia arrived home in time for Christmas dinner after a snowstorm delayed their flight for more than 24 hours.

About 185 Ft. Lewis-based soldiers originally were scheduled to arrive home at 3:45 a.m. Friday, but a snowstorm closed the Canadian air base where their plane landed for refueling. The chartered jet finally landed at McChord Air Force Base at 8:47 a.m. Saturday, a duty sergeant at Ft. Lewis said.

“It’s been long. Everyone is anxious to get home,” Sgt. Peter Montoya said.

Most of the Ft. Lewis soldiers are members of the 40th Transportation Company, which was sent to Africa in early September to help transport fuel and water for U.N. forces in Somalia.

Another 100 soldiers were dropped off at Ft. Campbell, Ky., before the plane continued to Washington state.

Anette Roberson, who served as support coordinator for the waiting families, said they were frustrated as they waited for the weather to clear in Gander, Newfoundland.

“The wondering keeps going, well, ‘Are we coming home, are we not coming home?’ ” she said Friday.

She said her 8-year-old daughter, Jessica, and 6-year-old daughter, Julia, planned to wrap their father in red ribbon and put him under the tree.

“We won’t open presents until Daddy comes home for Christmas,” Jessica said.