Washington County mom can't wait to see her daughter home from the war in Iraq

With the heavy fighting in Iraq over, people back home are anxious to get their young soldiers and sailors back home. <br><br>No one more anxious than Rheta McMillan. Her daughter is aboard a ship on

Thursday, May 1st 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

With the heavy fighting in Iraq over, people back home are anxious to get their young soldiers and sailors back home.

No one more anxious than Rheta McMillan. Her daughter is aboard a ship on its way to the USA. News on 6 reporter Rick Wells went to the Rockin M Ranch north of Tulsa in Washington County and found it decked out in yellow ribbons. The yellow ribbons are waiting. So is Mom, Rheta

McMillian is very excited to get her daughter back home. "Yeah, I can get pretty wound up about it." Tiffany is a deck hand on the USS Camden and on her way back from the Persian Gulf and the war with Iraq. "She told me in a letter, she's covered up with fuel and water."

The Camden is a supply ship in the USS Abraham Lincoln battle group. A supply ship is like an enormous floating warehouse. "They carry fuel, they carry bombs, they carry food, and they carry people, mail all that kind of stuff." And the USS Camden is carrying Tiffany, precious cargo for a mom who hasn't seen her daughter in six months.

Tiffany left Washington State on a plane in October, flew across the country and on to the Persian Gulf to meet up with her ship. â€œWhen she comes back to Washington State on Monday she'll have been around the world, that's something a whole lot of people can't say. Not many can say it at all; kind of cool isn't it.(laughs)"

Rheta will meet the ship in Washington State Monday. Tiffany's already told her she's on duty that morning so won't be off the ship immediately. "That's ok I've waited this long, I can wait a little longer, as long as I know she's on that ship." Says she's gonna give her one of those big Mama hugs. "I don't know I won't want to let go."

And they'll have a little time to get caught up Tiffany and her Mom will take the overnight flight out of Seattle Monday night. That will get them back to Tulsa Tuesday morning.