SOLDIER HOME FROM IRAQ DADDY-TIMES-2 MEETS HIS NEW SONS.Byline: Amy Raisin Staff Writer SAUGUS - Adam Gregory became a first-time father to twin boys three months ago - a life-altering experience for any man, especially one just 20 years old. But the Saugus native only met his babies three weeks ago, when the U.S. Army soldier returned to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. after his battalion took Baghdad on April 7, earning him a Bronze Star Bronze Star n. A U.S. military decoration awarded either for heroism or for meritorious achievement in ground combat. Noun 1. . ``With all that went on over there and all that I missed over here, it was really amazing to be able to come home and see and hold them for the first time. Just amazing,'' said Pfc. Gregory, holding one son as his girlfriend cradled the other. His parents, Rod and Lori Gregory, threw the second of their four sons a welcome home party Saturday that rivaled most Fourth of July Fourth of July, Independence Day, or July Fourth, U.S. holiday, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Celebration of it began during the American Revolution. celebrations. American flags were affixed af·fix tr.v. af·fixed, af·fix·ing, af·fix·es 1. To secure to something; attach: affix a label to a package. 2. in the front yard, the back yard and everywhere in between - including on the massive sheet cake frosted with the Stars and Stripes Stars and Stripes nickname for the U.S. flag. [Am. Hist.: Brewer Dictionary, 8567] See : America . Girlfriend Andrea Deems, 21, said the identical twins identical twins pl.n. Twins derived from the same fertilized ovum that at an early stage of development becomes separated into independently growing cell aggregations, giving rise to two individuals of the same sex, identical genetic makeup, and the couple named David and Jonathan were conceived just a week before Gregory left their home in Ft. Stewart, Ga., and headed to the Middle East with the 315th Infantry. ``The (TV) news was on 24/7. I never turned it off,'' said Deems, who met Gregory in Georgia and calls herself an Army brat army brat n. The child of a member, typically a career office or enlisted person, of the U.S. Army. Noun 1. army brat - the child of a career officer of the United States Army . ``Being pregnant and him being over there, it was a little overwhelming at times.'' Deems and Gregory's parents agree that the most difficult stretch came when Adam, a 2000 graduate of Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, Christian School A Christian School is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization. The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country according to the religious, educational, and political culture. , left the tent cities where he had been stationed in Kuwait, and began the push toward Baghdad. On the move in their Army vehicles, the soldiers were unable to communicate with loved ones loved ones npl → seres mpl queridos loved ones npl → proches mpl et amis chers loved ones love npl via telephone or computer. As Deems' due date approached in Georgia, Gregory and his infantry reached Iraq's capital. ``There was obviously a lot of death and destruction,'' Gregory said Saturday from his parents' comfortable living room. ``Dead and wounded enemy soldiers, our own wounded soldiers, buildings destroyed. But once we started stability operations (in Baghdad), there were kids running all over. ``They reminded me of my (youngest) brother, Taylor,'' he said of his 10-year-old sibling. ``It was hard over there. It didn't happen a lot, but there were some (scary) times,'' Gregory said. One such moment eventually became worldwide news, when on April 6, embedded NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. journalist David Bloom - assigned to travel with Gregory's infantry division - collapsed. Gregory helped rush the 39-year-old reporter for medical treatment, but doctors later said the father of three died of a pulmonary embolism Pulmonary Embolism Definition Pulmonary embolism is an obstruction of a blood vessel in the lungs, usually due to a blood clot, which blocks a coronary artery. . Gregory's mother said she and her husband never turned off the news, even in the middle of the night. ``It was very hard. But we had these little badges made up the last week of the war and gave them out,'' she said, fingering the laminated photo of her fatigues-clad son that hangs around her neck. ``We literally had thousands of people praying for him by name.'' Asked whether it's possible the Army would send him back to Iraq, Gregory said nothing is impossible in the Army, but that being sent back is ``not likely.'' The question, however, prompted Deems' eyes to widen. She let out a worried sigh before turning to the father of her children. ``I don't even want to think about that,'' she said. The couple plan to return to their home adjacent to the Georgia base in the next three weeks. They agree there is a wedding in their future and both want more kids, but as the house filled with loved ones and friends Saturday, neither was interested in predicting what the future holds, beyond family. Amy Raisin, (661) 257-5254 amy.raisin(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Adam Gregory, right, who recently returned home from combat in Iraq, holds his twin son Jonathan while fiancee Andrea Deems holds son David. Looking on, from left, are the Gregory family: brothers Joseph, Taylor and Andy, mom Lori and dad Rod. (2) Andrea Deems and fiance Adam Gregory cuddle with twin sons Jonathan, left, and David, born while Gregory was serving in combat in Iraq. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion