It was hard to tell who was more excited Monday afternoon: Families waiting in a hangar or people walking across the flight line at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
Murmurs of “They’re coming home. I can’t believe they are coming home,” were frequently heard. So were shrieks of “When’s Dad-deeee gonna be he-eeee-re?”
Black and yellow balloons honoring the homecoming squadron’s nickname, the Yellow Jackets, bobbed in drafts as sailors from other squadrons worked on EA-6B Prowlers.
After eight months at sea, Electronic Attack Squadron 138, Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department and Explosive Ordnance Disposal came home from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve been a family,” Misty Darden said.
Darden had not seen her husband, Jacob, in 10 months.
“It talked to Jason this morning when the boat pulled in to San Diego,” Misty said. “He keeps saying, ‘I see him as an infant.’ ”
Jacob Darden hadn’t seen his son since Asher was five weeks old. The 11-month-old is a busy little boy with several teeth, a big, big smile and wavy red hair. The family has gone through many other changes. Misty completed study at a Navy school and moved from El Centro, Calif., to Mount Vernon just last week.
She is an aviation ordnanceman — like Jacob — and has transferred to Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department. Misty had skin cancer; her surgery required overnight hospital stay and frequent check-ups. Misty’s former husband Chico Garcia recently returned from service in Kuwait and is busy reacquainting himself with 6-year-old Splendyd.
“Our family is having a lot of reunions,” Misty said.
It was a typical Navy homecoming featuring anxious families and friends, kids running around giggling, lots of smiles and more than a few tears. While the Vinson’s time at sea could be called as “uneventful,” sailors on board faced an atypical mission in the waters off Korea.
“This was a very different cruise,” Lt. Robert Woodruff said. Woodruff completed a tour with VAQ-138 when the planes were in action over Afghanistan after Sept. 11, 2001. The last eight months the commands spent in the Pacific seemed frustrating at times.
“It was more challenging because everything was unpredictable,” Cmdr. Bill Jensen, the squadron’s executive officer, said. “We never knew when we might be back.”
“Last cruise we had a mission,” Woodruff said. “This time, everyone was uncertain of our exact mission. It was harder to understand this time why we were out so long.”
Monday afternoon, the only frustrations centered on when exactly loved ones would get home.
“I have new respect for single moms and military moms,” Al Fisher said. “I’m a guy and it’s hard for me to do two things at once,” he admitted while watching 15-month-old Noah. Father and son were waiting for Chief Petty Officer Karen Fisher to step off a plane, any plane.
“I’ve, we’ve been blessed. Noah is a great little boy,” Al said.
“Noah was crawling when Karen left, now he’s running around and into everything.”
Fisher and several other parents wondered how children who were tiny when their parents left would react when parents who had been absent for so many months returned.
When Karen Fisher finally held Noah Monday afternoon, the toddler was more interested in the anchors on his mother’s shoulders than his mother’s tears. Karen didn’t seem to mind too much as she marveled at her son’s serious face.
At the other side of the hangar door, Jacob Darden and Asher were getting to know one another.
“I still can’t believe Jacob’s home,” Misty said as she photographed the father-and-son reunion.
“He’s huge,” Jacob yelled as he rumpled his son’s red curls and grinned at Asher’s teeth.
Asher squealed with delight at the attention.
“I’m going to do everything I can to make up for the time I missed with him,” Jacob said.
