Whoo hoooo and thank the Lord!!! This just in from CPL Luke McIntyre Johnson’s father and mother, Parley Philip, Jr. and Callie Gail Johnson:

Luke is in the USA in route to Camp Pendleton, CA should be there by 5 PM California time ( 7 PM Alabama Time )... Praise the Lord for his safe return, thanks to all for your continued thoughts and prayers while Luke was deployed to AFGHANISTAN for the past 7 months.

Sincerely,

Parley P. Jr. & Callie Gail

Luke is with the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Division. The photo here is a recent UPI photo of Luke that was in the news. The caption read, “Marines patrol In bazaar of Hazar Joft in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan on August 8, 2010.”

Parley and Callie Gail are flying out to Camp Pendleton from Birmingham on Saturday morning, Nov. 13 to greet Luke and spend some quality time with their son. They will spend the night with Uncle Wylie and Melanie Fay Johnson on Friday night, Nov. 12.

These are bitter-sweet times for Parley and Callie Gail, though. Sgt. Joey Graham USMC, husband of their daughter Callie Elizabeth Johnson Graham. is set to deploy to Afghanistan on 14 November with the USMC 2nd ANGLICO from Camp Lejune, NC. He will be there 7 months as a forward observer. Parley and Callie Gail’s son Parley Philip III “Tracy” is assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Philippines where he is attached to the USMC Security Guard Detachment.

Luke, Parley, III (Tracy) and Callie Elizabeth are the grandchildren of Parley Philip, Sr. and Edith Christine Fail Johnson (Uncle Philip and Aunt Christine).

We are truly thankful for your safe return, Luke! And may God bless and protect Joey, Tracy and all of this family in the coming months. Thank you for your service to our country!

Also, see the article about Luke’s furlough trip home to Paxton, FL at Christmas!