WATERBURY, Conn. -- Family and friends welcomed home 70 soldiers in Waterbury on Wednesday morning.

The 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion returned to Connecticut after a year in Iraq.

Troops Welcomed Home In Waterbury

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Eric Parker reported that as the soldiers' two buses pulled up to the Waterbury Armory under police escort, the welcoming crowd worked itself into a frenzy.

"Everybody was yelling and screaming, 'Yahoo, we're home!' " said Master Sgt. Bryan Curtis.

"It was overwhelming to see the support and all the people coming out to welcome us back," said Stephen Curtis, of Naugatuck. "It's a little surreal right now to be back after 14 months, but so far so good."

Parker reported that with the group of 70 guardsmen home, the Connecticut National Guard now has about 400 people deployed around the globe. That number is expected to be around 200 by November.

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