Cherry Point Marines return from 10-month deployment

Some call them heroes, the men who pilot jet fighters in far off lands, protecting the United States and its allies from harm.

They see it a little differently.

“I think the heroes out of the whole group were the families that had to keep on pushing for 10 months with their spouses being gone,” said Maj. Michael P. Murphy, an AV-8B Harrier pilot who returned to Cherry Point Thursday after a 10-month deployment with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.

The return of the six Harriers attached to Marine Attack Squadron 231 Thursday was just the beginning of homecomings at Camp Lejeune, New River and Cherry Point as the 2,200 Marines and sailors completed the longest sea deployment for a MEU since 1973. The typical MEU deployment is about six months.

“It was four months longer than most people were ready for, but we did it,” Murphy said. “I think everyone’s proud that we were able to make it happen.”

The 22nd MEU deployed about three months early on March 29 as tensions increased in Libya and the Middle East.

“It was just very exciting to pull into the parking spot here and see my beautiful wife and my two beautiful little girls,” Murphy said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen them and I’m just looking forward to catching up this lost time with them.”

Murphy’s wife JoAnne and their daughters Elliot, 5, and Annabel, 4, ran across the flight line to greet Murphy as he stepped from the cockpit of his jet.

“There were tears in his eyes. I think he was very glad to be home,” JoAnne Murphy said. “It’s awesome. We’ve been waiting 10 months to see him. Skype wasn’t very reliable.

We could actually see his face, and for the girls to see him and be able to hold him, it’s pretty amazing.”

Maj. B.K. Hutchins, leader of the Harrier detachment, said the MEU did its job.

“We had a great team out there, Navy and Marine Corps team,” he said. “Everyone really buckled down and did the job together and everyone’s excited to be back. I happy all my Marines, all the aircraft, everyone is coming back safe and returned after a very honorable deployment that they did.”

Hutchins said the highlight of the trip was, of course, coming back home.

“I think each day was kind of a highlight,” he said. “Each day that I saw the Marines grow out there, each day kind of built on the other. To really see how they came together in the adversity. They overcame the separation as well as the challenges of being gone so long.

“They just continued to build upon each day’s success and they came back better qualified and better trained than when they left, and I’m very proud of that. And the leadership that the enlisted Marines did was phenomenal. It was really great.”

Hutchins said the unit overcame the early deployment with hard work about the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group.

“The greatest success story is the fact that we all came together so quickly, had to learn each other in such a short time and yet did such a great successful deployment,” he said. “We all came together as a family as Marines and sailors on the ship and powered through it, and here we are coming back after a long deployment seeing loved ones and family and having everyone coming home safe and sound. It has been an honor for me to be in charge of the Harrier detachment while aboard the Bataan.”

Kelly Scherrer, wife of Capt. Eric Scherrer, a Harrier pilot, said it was a long time waiting. 

“It’s been like a year of life happening and we’ve been in two separate places,” she said. “We’ve moved a couple of times out of necessity. We had some issues in the house we were living in and had to move. That’s probably been the hardest thing I’ve had to do while he was gone.”

The couple’s son, Omari, 2, was dressed in a flight suit for Dad’s return.

“A friend loaned it to us and we just put the patches on it that Dad’s used over the years. Omari enjoys it,” Kelly Scherrer said.

She said her son got through the deployment well.

“Since he’s so young, he took it well,” she said. “If you are going to go on deployments, it’s best when they are little, but likewise on the other hand, this deployment was easier in that we had done it before and knew more what to expect in terms of how to keep in touch with each other.”

Like the other Marines, the couple used email, video conferencing on Skype and letters to stay in touch.

Friends Steve and Joanna Young, of New Bern, came out to support the Scherrers in their reunion. Steve Young said he doubted that most Americans understood the sacrifice made by the military during deployments.

“I don’t think most Americans give it a thought,” he said. “They go about their lives. They are so busy doing everything, communicating on Facebook and doing all that stuff. I don’t think people think about it but they need to be aware of that stuff.”

Rachel Fickle said being separate from her husband, Capt. David Fickle, for so long was difficult.

“It’s been a really hard, long deployment. It’s been challenging raising my son by myself,” she said. “We are really proud of him and super excited for him to come home.

“This is our first deployment. We’ve been married three years. It was challenging because it was the first deployment and then you throw in the child, so it was very hard. He’s our only one. He was nine months when dad left, so he’s a different kid.”

With two daughters, JoAnna Murphy knows that feeling.

“It’s been interesting. Some days were harder than others, but we got through it,” she said. “I’m just glad that he’s home and it will be nice to have a man in the house.

We’re just glad that we’re done. I don’t have to take the garbage out anymore.”

More members of the MEU are to return to Camp Lejeune Friday with a large amphibious landing on Onslow Beach. In the afternoon, Marines from Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 will arrive at New River. Also Friday, support crews from VMA-231 will be delivered to Cherry Point aboard V-22s.

Returns will continue Saturday at Camp Lejeune and Sunday at the Morehead City Port.

The 22nd MEU supported operations in the European, African and Central commands, including support to operations in Libya, training in Djibouti and work with Marines from Spain and Romania.