Guymon honors soldiers who returned there to remember friend, native son killed in Iraq

Wednesday, January 10th 2007, 11:49 am

By: News On 6

GUYMON, Okla. (AP) _ The nine Army buddies came to this Panhandle town months ago to bury one of their best friends, killed by a roadside bomb while they were serving together in Iraq. They made a pact to return here as a way to honor their pal, and when they made good on their promise this week, the town in turn honored them.

The battalion members were treated to hotel rooms, meals and even a reception, with the town of 11,000 opening its doors to them and decking out its streets and homes with American flags.

``It feels like family here; it's almost like we're royalty. Just for something we've volunteered to do,'' said Sgt. Matthew Madera, of Chicago.

``Nobody knows you, but they support you like they do know you,'' said Spc. B.J. Pierce, of Arkansas.

Guymon native Joshua Pearce was killed in February, two months before he was to return home. His friends, all fellow members of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team stationed at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, attended his funeral in March and vowed to come back to Guymon.

At a reception Tuesday, a day before the men were set to leave their adopted hometown, they remembered their fallen friend as the life of the party, the one with all the jokes up his sleeve, who wanted to carry on his mom's massage therapy business when he finished his tour of duty.

``God will never make another person as great as that kid was,'' said Sgt. Steven Gautschi, of Southern California. ``He was the total package.''