| Jeremy Manning spends time with his mom Chris and brother Nathan |
Jeremy Manning returns from Baghdad, Iraq.
Orangeville celebrated on Dec. 8, the homecoming of Jeremy Manning with hundreds of United States flags lining Main Street, 300 South and in front of the Manning home. The flags were put out by the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 305.
Manning returned home from Iraq on Dec. 7, to the delight of his family and friends. Manning is on leave for two weeks of rest and relaxation. When his leave is over, he is scheduled to depart from Salt Lake City, bound for Iraq on Dec. 21.
Manning signed up to be in the US Army Reserves for eight years. He will have completed three years of his enlistment in March of 2004.
The flight from Iraq to Utah takes 18 to 20 hours. Manning flew from Baghdad Airport to Kuwait, then to Germany, on to Baltimore and a stop over in Cincinnati before arriving in Salt Lake City where he was welcomed home by the Nick Manning family. Jeremy Manning’s mother Chris and father Nick said they are very proud of their son for serving to protect the United States of America.
Manning, when in Iraq, is assigned to the 1457 Engineering Battalion, Alpha Company. He is a Supply/Armor Specialist.
Manning is glad to be home away from the sand, the flies, the heat, the desert dryness, and living in a tent. He said things are settling down in Iraq and it isn’t as dangerous as it initially was.
One of the first things he did after getting a good nights sleep, was to get in his car and drive around for a couple of hours to see his home town and other places in Emery County.
People all over Orangeville were asking why flags were flying along city streets Monday morning. They started by asking the Post Mistress at the Orangeville Post Office, she called the Orangeville City Hall, they did not know. Then remembering that Mark Tanner was involved with Scouts, she called him and learned that the flags were in recognition of the return of Jeremy Manning from Iraq.
Steve Thornton also from Orangeville did not get to come home from Iraq at this time. Steve Thornton is a Command Sgt. Major in the US Army.