Natl. Guardsman return home from Iraq - 10 p.m. Report

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The second wave of soldiers arrived at Stout Field Thursday evening. It was the moment Erin Riddle, April Marion and many others have been waiting for to happen.

"I can't believe it’s him. I can't believe it's him," said Riddle.

"I'm just shaking all over because I'm so excited and so happy," said Marion.

Best friends April and Erin said the happy homecoming couldn't have come at a better time. They were sure to surprise their husbands not only with tears of joy, but also with a little turkey and all the trimmings.

"As soon as the first guys came thru I was balling. And I looked up and looked at the men and he was standing right in front of me," said April.

"I'm just glad to be back in the U.S. Back with my wife," said Greg Marion.

The return of over 600 men and women with the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat team comes after spending nine months overseas.

"I won't miss any more important birthdays for a while," said guardsman Cody Thomasson.

In all, the brigade is made up of nearly 3,000 soldiers, making their deployment earlier this year the largest the Indiana Guard has seen since World War II. Now back home, for this soldier seeing his family is overwhelming.

"It was unbelievable the feeling you get when you come thru the door. Everybody is cheering for you. I'm happy to be home...you have no idea," Thomasson said.

He can now spend time getting to know his baby boy.

"21 days. 21 days is all I've seen him since he's been born," he said. "Five more days and then I'm home for good

The days of instant messages and long absences are over.

The entire 76th Brigade isn't back in Indiana yet. The National Guard said several more groups of soldiers are expected to return home from Iraq in the next two weeks.