Emotions were high on Friday for a big welcome home.
“So excited that I might actually fall to the ground,” Lilly Jaremback, of East Lyme, said.
“I’ve been waiting for this day to come, 189 days ago,” Jessica McCosker, of New London, said.
After being on deployment for six months, U.S. Navy sailors on the USS Virginia submarine made it back to Connecticut.
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“I barreled into him a lot harder than I thought I would,” McCosker said.
Ferro said the support from back home made the months at sea easier.
“Long periods at sea and we came together as a crew, we got through it together, we had strong support at home, getting us through it,” Ferro said. “Letters, pictures and videos."
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For Commander Michael Hartzell, this was his ninth deployment.
“Every time, it’s extremely emotional,” Hartzell said.
Hartzell is proud of the USS Virginia crew for their hard in supporting national security.
“What the whole crew goes through to get the submarine out to sea for that long is really inspiring and it’s an emotional time because you spend it away from your family, and to see this support is great,” Hartzell said.
All sailors were reunited with their families just in time for the festive season.
“So happy that we were able to get home in time for the holidays,” Hartzell said.
