Soldiers from medical unit return from Iraq
(Wiqan Ang/Globe Staff)
Back from the war, Gayle Nowak embraced her daughter Maria Nowak, 9, while her mother, Joan Viner, and family friend Kara Pranaitis, 13, looked on.
By Chris Baxter, Globe Correspondent
BEDFORD -- A group of New England soldiers who were stationed at hospitals in Iraq returned home today, reuniting with their families after stepping off a plane at Hanscom Air Force Base.
The 73 Army reservists, who have been in Iraq since June 2007, arrived from Fort McCoy, Wis., on a chartered AirTran 737 plane. The contingent treated everything from gunshot wounds to the common cold.
Captain Gayle Nowak, a nurse from Worcester, said it was a relief to be home.
“All I want is a Dunkin’ Donuts coffee,” she said, hugging her 8-year-old daughter, Maria. Nowak said she planned to spend the afternoon swimming and celebrating the Celtics’ championship.
The 405th Combat Support Hospital, based in West Hartford, Conn. deployed a year ago to join the 325th Combat Support Hospital out of Independence, Mo.
Most of the men and women were on their first tour of duty.
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