Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- After a week of working non-stop to help people affected by Hurricane Sandy, troops from the 174th Attack Wing are finally home. They returned from Staten Island on Tuesday.
The troops returned from a mission that was a bit more personal than most.
“Their houses looked just like our houses; their kids looked just like our kids and you sat there and said, ‘wow’ that could have been my house,” said Major Anthony Pasquale.
Hour-by-hour their mission changed as they worked day and night to bring solace to those devastated by Sandy.
As soon as their boots hit the ground in Staten Island, Sergeant Raymond Herr said he could see the destruction for miles.
“Our first two hours down there we ran into a lady that had six kids. Her husband died not too long ago and she lost everything, no house, no clothes, nothing,” Sgt. Herr said.
For a week, they went to some of the hardest hit areas, clearing debris and rescuing people from flooded homes. More importantly, they gave them the tools to survive. And for some the men, their mission isn’t over yet.
The troops expect to return for a little more than a week and are committed to staying until they complete their mission in helping Sandy victims get their lives back to normal.
Leaders from the Attack Wing expect to send another group of troops back to Brooklyn on Thursday.
