"WAHOO!" Colonel Reed Bonadonna Back from Iraq

by Judy Silberstein

(May 21, 2003) "WAHOO!!!!!" emailed Dr. Sue Bonadonna on Tuesday, May 20. She had just received word that husband Colonel Reed Bonadonna was back from Iraq and would be returning to Larchmont, "just in time for anniversary #14 and the Larchmont Memorial Day Parade." (See: Memorial Day.)

"I was totally shocked," reported Dr. Bonadonna. She knew he was on his way back from the Middle East and had been monitoring the flight situation. "I had given up hope that he'd be home this week," she said.

"Now, he can't wait to see us," she said, "It's been a long time."

As a military historian, Colonel Bonadonna has been traveling throughout the Southern regions of Iraq documenting, interviewing, and recording the story of the war. This is a dramatic change of pace from his civilian occupation, teaching English and Ethics at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in King's Point. (See: Larchmont English Teacher Called to War.)

Early Wednesday morning, the family was rushing to get ready for school and Bonadonna's afternoon homecoming.

"Daddy's coming home today!" screamed Luke, age 5.

Erik, age 10, has just learned to play the "Star Spangled Banner" on his trumpet and can't wait to play it for his Daddy.

Both Erik and Devon, age 8, are thrilled that their dad will be home to march with them and the other cub scouts from Pack 4 in the Larchmont Memorial Day Parade on Thursday evening, May 22.

According to Dr. Bonadonna, it was only a few months ago, when the scouts started planning for the parade that one of the dads mused, "Maybe Reed will be back for the parade."

She thought, "There's no possibility of that."

He'll only be home for a few days before he has to return to Washington, D.C. to continue his military duties compiling the information he's been collecting in Iraq. But the family isn't complaining. "We feel so lucky," said Dr. Bonadonna.