EVERETT — In an old-fashioned display of patriotism, pride and gratitude, an estimated 30,000 people lined the streets of downtown Everett Saturday to welcome back the sailors of the USS Abraham Lincoln.
Red, white and blue confetti and streamers rained from the rooftops of 24 downtown buildings onto at least 600 sailors and other marchers who basked in a cavalcade of cheers and thank-yous. The sailors showed their appreciation to the crowd with signs such as, "Thank you, Everett for your support."
"This is something I’ll never forget," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Laura Huitema, 23, of Pella, Iowa. "It makes me feel a lot of pride for serving our country and gives me a sense of accomplishment."
During a speech at a ceremony before the parade, Rear Admiral John Kelly told the hundreds gathered at Hewitt and Colby avenues: "Naval Station Everett is the greatest homeport in the U.S. Navy. I’ve been coming home from deployments for 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this. This is absolutely the most wonderful outpouring of support and affection I’ve ever seen for sailors and their families."
People began setting chairs on Colby Avenue before 6 a.m., said city spokeswoman Kate Reardon. By 7 a.m., four hours before the beginning of the parade, at least 150 people had arrived to stake out prime viewing spots.
The parade started at 11 a.m. at Everett High School. By the time it reached the heart of Colby, a storm of streamers shot out of confetti cannons several stories above on the rooftops. The adults in the crowd cheered the sailors, while many of the kids raced around, scooping fistfuls — even arm-loads — of streamers, wrapping themselves from head to toe in the spirit of the moment.
Overhead, the light poles on Colby were doing the same thing without even moving, catching growing gobs of 20-foot long ribbons.
Some people in the crowd cried as the sailors passed.
Mike and Trudy McGinty of Everett were among the 10,000 people who stood on Pier 1 Tuesday as the Lincoln arrived at Naval Station Everett after more than nine months at sea. But Saturday was "a little more personal," Mike McGinty said.
"We just wanted to see the guys up-close," he said. "We couldn’t see them on Tuesday. It’s nice to put a face to them."
Rhonda Wyer, 30, of Lake Stevens was at the parade because she wasn’t able to take Tuesday off from work. Besides, she said, "Tuesday was for the families. This is for the whole community."
Near the end of the parade route on Wetmore, Michelle Faieta, 45, of Carnation, and her two girls, Christina, 13, Danielle, 10, and their friend Jo Johnson, 14, all took their red "Welcome Home USS Abraham Lincoln" signs to sailors for their autographs.
"They’re going to frame these," Michelle Faieta said.
Among the marchers were several dozen Snohomish County Iraqis, part of the largest Iraqi community in the Pacific Northwest. More than a dozen Iraqi children waved and giggled at the crowd from a city trolley, as the adults marched with Iraqi and U.S. flags and yellow pompoms, shaking hands with well-wishers. The crowd cheered and whooped perhaps even more loudly — and longer — for the Iraqis than they did for the sailors.
"It was great to see everyone coming up to us to greet us," said Abdullah Al-Azadi, 34, as he clutched a red, white and blue "Proud to be American" balloon and a pompom in his right hand. "The Navy did a great job, and we wanted to show the Navy our appreciation. They did what they did for the Iraqi people."
As the parade was ending on Wetmore Avenue near 26th Street, Seaman David Montoya, 19, approached several Iraqis to shake their hands and then posed with them as others took photos.
"This is why I joined the military service," said Montoya, of Walnut, Calif. "It’s all about being equal, about being human. It doesn’t matter what religion or race you are."
Montoya said he was "touched" by the thanks the Iraqis gave him.
"They have more courage than I could ever have in a lifetime," he said. "These people have endured so much pain."
Reporter David Olson: 425-339-3452 or dolson@heraldnet.com
Reporter Scott Morris: 425-339-3292 or smorris@heraldnet.com.
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