A spirited sendoff for 891st

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Local News

July 6, 2020 - 10:08 AM

Judy and Tom Brigham wave flags as a caravan of National Guardsmen escorted by law enforcement and other motorcyclists passes in Iola Sunday. Photo by Richard Luken / Iola Register

Scores of supporters lined the streets around Iola’s downtown square Sunday morning for a sendoff of the Kansas Army National Guard’s 891st Engineer Battalion.

The Guardsmen were leaving Iola for a yearlong deployment to Kuwait in support of Operation Spartan Shield.

The Guardsmen will be in charge of assorted construction projects.

The deployment is the first for the 891st since the Battalion spent a year in Iraq in 2005.

At top, Judy and Tom Brigham waved flags as the caravan passed by. At lower left, the bus carrying the Guardsmen were escorted by a number of law enforcement vehicles and motorcyclists adorned with American flags. At lower right, members of the LaHarpe Veterans of Foreign Wars post salute the passing caravan.

A bus carrying National Guardsmen was escorted in Iola by a number of law enforcement vehicles and motorcyclists adorned with American flags. Photo by Richard Luken / Iola Register
Members of the LaHarpe Veterans of Foreign Wars post salute a passing bus filled with National Guardsmen who are deploying to Kuwait. Photo by Richard Luken
Supporters await a caravan of National Guardsmen Sunday in Iola. The Guardsmen are deploying to Kuwait. Photo by Richard Luken / Iola Register
Supporters await a caravan of National Guardsmen Sunday in Iola. The Guardsmen are deploying to Kuwait. Photo by Richard Luken / Iola Register
Supporters wave to a caravan of National Guardsmen Sunday in Iola. The Guardsmen are deploying to Kuwait. Photo by Richard Luken
Supporters await a caravan of National Guardsmen Sunday in Iola. The Guardsmen are deploying to Kuwait.
A helicopter flying overhead follows a caravan of National Guardsmen Sunday in Iola. The Guardsmen are deploying to Kuwait. Photo by Richard Luken / Iola Register
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