Southern Illinois Guardsmen Come Home

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Three Perry County soldiers were among those welcomed home by an enormous crowd in West Frankfort Tuesday afternoon. The first and second platoons in the Provincial Reconstruction Team from the 133rd Alpha Company Second Batallion returned home from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Local Police and emergency vehicles from many surrounding towns escorted the two buses full of returning soldiers through West Frankfort, past the National Guard Armory and on to the high school gymnasium.

The crowd lined the main street in West Frankfort for several blocks, holding signs and waving flags handed out by soldiers working crowd control.

Sgt. Barry Engelhardt, SPC Christopher Higgerson, both of Pinckneyville, and Sgt. John Stanhouse, of Du Quoin, were greeted by family and friends in West Frankfort.

The ceremony consisted of the playing of the Star Spangled Banner, an invocation and a brief welcome home speech. Following the speech, the soldiers said a quick goodbye among themselves before wading into the crowd or climbing the railings to reach their families.