“Patrol Squadron 40 wrapped up its homecoming Wednesday afternoon as the last of the squadron’s nine P-3C Orion aircraft rolled to a stop at the home hangar at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.The squadron’s 70 officers and 290 enlisted personnel spent the last six-plus months in seven different countries. Their primary mission was to enforce the United Nations sanctions against Iraq, and they did that, diverting over 30 smuggling vessels and confiscating over 40,000 metric tons of illegally transported oil.But members of the Whidbey squadron saw much more action than just illegal oil.When terrorists blew a hole in the side of the USS Cole in Yemen, it was VP-40 that somberly transported the American casualties to an Air Force base for the flight home.When search and rescue missions were needed to assist two elderly people stranded at sea in two separate incidents, it was VP-40 that responded, and in one instance transported a dying Russian seaman to Singapore where doctors helped him recover from a complicated strain of malaria.It was a busy time, said VP-40 Cmdr. Bernie Ryan. And that was fine by the skipper — a busy squadron is an engaged, challenged and happy squadron.“It was more than we expected,” he said. “Out of the eight of these (deployments) I’ve been on, it was the best by far.”The timing of the return appeared to be cause for happiness too, as husbands, wives and children held emotional holiday reunions after their separation of more than 180 days.“It’s the best Christmas we could have,” said Carrie Ryan, as she and son Ben and daughter Jenny greeted dad Bernie.VP-40 actually returned in stages, with the first plane arriving Dec. 4. The bulk of the squadron flew in last Saturday, when well over 100 family members anxiously awaited the return of the propeller-powered P-3s filled with loved ones.“I don’t think you ever get used to them being gone,” said Morrie Senn, who waited for husband Wesley Senn. It was the second deployment for the Senns. Daughter Jayna, 19 months, was born during the first one.Cheryl Nail said she worried a bit about her husband Randy during this deployment, especially when the Cole bombing caused heightened security concerns. “But overall, it was pretty good,” she said.For 8-year-old Brianna Nail, there was no ambivalence about the homecoming. Was she happy to be seeing her dad after the long absence?“Yeah!” she exclaimed. “