Soldiers Coming Home Saturday

Keokuk, IA – Nearly 500 soldiers will be honored across Southeast Iowa tomorrow morning. Welcome home ceremonies for the Fairfield-based 224th Engineer Battalion will be held in 5 communities at 11 AM. Mayor Dave Gudgel says the homecoming ceremony in Keokuk for Company C, Detachment 1, will last about 30 minutes. He says the ceremony at the high school will include live music, a choir, and several guest speakers. The buses carrying the soldiers to Keokuk from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, will travel north on the Highway 61 bypass and then turn south on Highway 218. The caravan will then travel onto Plank Road and turn east on Washington Street before reaching the high school. Ceremonies will also be held in Fairfield, Burlington, Ottumwa, and Mount Pleasant at the same time.