Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - 'We're going out to dinner, then I've got plans for him...'

Thoughts from the community on the return of the Inchon and its fleet:

   "I missed you. The kids missed you. The garden doesn't even recognize you."
  -Robert Hess to his wife, Rhonda Hess, a senior chief aboard the Inchon.

"We hope to see him eye-to-eye as the ship passes by the jetty. It all just seems too unreal."
   -Corrine Hinkle to her husband Bill Hinkle, a seaman aboard the Inchon.


  "You can't print X-rated things in there, can you?"
  - Pamela Beecher, on her plans for the arrival of her husband, Bryan Beecher, a petty officer on the Inchon.


  "We had a baby that was 8 months old when he left . . . (my husband) missed a lot of firsts. His (son's) name is Flip. The name fits. His dad will soon find that out when he gets home."
  -Shana Longley on her and Petty Officer First Class John Longley's son, who he hasn't seen in five months while away on the Inchon.


  "I'm not getting all dressed up because when he sees me, he won't care what I'm wearing."
  - Andrea Smith, 26, wife of Petty Officer First Class Chad Smith on the Inchon.

  "We're going to go out to dinner, and then I've got special plans for him. It may not be printable."
   - Bobbi Taylor, a 23-year naval reservist who has booked a room at Christy Estates Suites and stocked up on food in preparation for her husband, Communications Officer Brad Taylor. She said she doesn't plan on leaving the room until early Thursday morning.


   "Regardless of what their job is on the ship, we appreciate what they do.
To know you're appreciated just really inspires a lot of people to do a lot of things they normally might not do.   The fact they are appreciated is the best message you can give them."
   - Craig Reynolds, president of the Corpus Christi Naval League and former executive officer of the Inchon.

   "It's really timely because school is about to start. We're delighted they're on the way back safely and apparently they will be back here for several months before another exercise."
   - Corpus Christi Mayor Loyd Neal.

   "The feeling on board the ship is one of excitement because they're so close and yet so far away.
They've kind of run the gamut of emotions. What struck me is that the morale is very high.
They're all looking forward to the reunions with their families, of course. And they're all extremely proud and sense their accomplishments."
   - Rear Adm. Jose L. Betancourt, commander of the U.S. Navy Mine Warfare Center of Excellence, who visited the Inchon on Tuesday.

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