SwiftVets.com

[streetsweeper95B]

http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=2615066&nav=5UaiTaNz

(Nice story but no Jim Mitchell listed as Vietnam POW)

Local Soldier Thankful to be Home


OREGON -- It's a Thanksgiving one Oregon family has been looking forward to for months.

Thursday evening, while some of you were enjoying dinner, Private 1st Class Jordan Howell arrived at Toledo Express Airport. Beaming family and friends gathered just outside the gate, to welcome their soldier back from Iraq.

After the happy reunion, the family headed home to Oregon where the 20 year-old Howell got a chance to hug his dad. It's a very different place than where he's been serving for about a year in Iraq. There was also a very different Thanksgiving meal for him -- a sandwich his mother made.

But it doesn't matter, he'll have his turkey Friday. Right now it's just nice to be in his house. "So thankful, so lucky. Thank God, thank god he's home," said his mother Tonya Mitchell.

In Iraq, Howell sits on top of the new Humvees and mans the guns in hostile areas. "Your life is dependent on the people in your truck and vice versa," said Howell. "You're the first person to shoot on the gun." He's seen attacks upclose, buddies shot up, and friends die. "You have to keep going no matter what happens. You have to keep going," Howell told News 11. "If you fall apart you're a missing link for the whole crew," he added.

Howell's dad Jim Mitchell knows what his son has gone through. Mitchell was a POW in Vietnam. "The enemy force was larger than what we thought," said Jim looking back on his battles. He managed to escape that prison and he returned home from the war on Thanksgiving day 34 years ago. "Thanksgiving has always meant something to me," said Jim. "But now it really means something to have (Jordan) home for a while. It's awesome."

Howell couldn't agree more. "I'm thankful for being home and I can't wait to come back home for good," Howell said.

There's so much to be thankful for on this holiday for this family, but they also said they hope the war in Iraq ends soon so all the troops can come home for good.

Howell will be in Oregon for the next two weeks before having to return to Iraq. He said the thing he's most looking forward to here at home...sleep.

Posted Thursday, November 25, 2004 at 9:37 p.m.


Please let me know if this is posted improperly!
wtf!
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[DougReese]