MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Hawaii -- Upon spotting his father emerging from the helicopter, Mikko-Dakota Roberts, 4, charged across the cement, flower lei swinging at his sides, for a big swoop off his feet and a hug. Soon, friends, family and coworkers followed, showering five returning sailors with hugs and handshakes Tuesday.
The personnel from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 37, Detachment 4, were part of approximately 20 sailors returning from a six-month deployment. The rest arrived with the USS Crommelin at Pearl Harbor Naval Station later that morning.
Holding a lei of green ti leaves and eggshell white orchids, Liisa Roberts waited patiently for her husband at Hangar 103. Wanting to look her best and adjusting her shawl, the Boulder, Colo. native was worried about her mascara.
“I’ll have black eyes in a minute,” Roberts said, smiling.
This was her husband’s second deployment while stationed aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and it hasn’t gotten easier.
Chatting with her husband during the deployment via the Internet, Roberts endured background annoyances from his locale, like parrots and monkeys. Even without animal disruption, conversations suffered at the hands of connectivity issues. In the meantime, Roberts kept busy with her work as a photographer, and spent her free time hiking and kayaking. She looks forward to having her husband join the activities.
“I’m so happy that my husband’s home,” she said.
Among those waiting outside Hangar 103 were Army Reserve Capt.
Steve Scatcherd and Kaneohe resident Dane Martin. Scatcherd and Martin were waiting for their friend and fellow canoe paddler Navy Lt. Roland Guerra, and discussing what they would do for the day when he returned.
“It looks like a good day to hike,” Scatcherd said.
Guerra, a pilot for HSL-37 Detachment 4, not only received a welcome home from his buddies, he also received a gift bag from the Kaneohe Officers’ Spouses Club, which included bananas, cereal,orange juice and skim milk.
“We saw a lot of places in Asia, that was pretty good. Got to see a lot of different cultures,” Guerra said. “There was a lot of interaction between the different nations.”
The San Antonio native recalls fond memories of this first deployment, including his temporary switch from the USS Crommelin to the USS Chafee to work with HSL-37 Detachment 1. Guerra had previously worked with Detachment 1 and enjoyed working with old friends again.
“We were doing it all day … from sunrise to sunset, it was nonstop,” Guerra said. “I was pretty dead after it [be]cause I was in the helicopter literally all day.”
He fondly recalled participating in the “Fight for Fish” mission headed by the U.S. Coast Guard in the islands of Micronesia.
The detachment assisted in catching illegal fishermen to ensure the Micronesians were not deprived of their main source of food.
Under the command of Lt. Cmdr. Greg Zimmerman, officer in charge, Detachment 4, HSL-37, the dets made many stops in the Pacific region, from Guam to Thailand to Singapore.
The main reason for the deployment was not only to push the Navy’s newest campaign, “Global Force for Good,” but also to engage in exercises under Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training.
Back home now, Guerra said he missed surfing the most, and was not able to attend the 25th annual Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau
2009 surfing competition.
“I heard the waves were 50 feet [high],” Guerra said. “My friends were there. I can’t wait to see their pictures.”