Members of the 1st Squadron, 71st Calvary Battalion of the 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, were met with cheers from a large crowd of Shelter Islanders of all ages around 3:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
The servicemen fought with Shelter Island native before he died in combat in Afghanistan at the age of 24. They were escorted from Fort Drum upstate to the on the island by members of the Freedom Riders Motorcycle Club. The procession was followed by a short but emotional welcoming ceremony and a dinner at the legion hall.
Members of the legion and other organizations in town spent months planning a big Shelter Island weekend full of events for the soldiers, who will return to Fort Drum on Monday.
Stay tuned for the full story and a video and slideshow of the event on North Fork Patch.
