By Robert Themer

rthemer@daily-journal.com

815-937-3369 After almost a year away from family, friends and jobs in civilian life, about 135 Illinois National Guard soldiers based at Kankakee are expected home about 1 p.m. Sunday.

The soldiers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry are expected to leave Fort McCoy, Wis., about 7 a.m. Sunday.

A brief ceremony with Gov. Pat Quinn and others is planned at the Community Resource Center -- the former National Guard Armory at 150 N. Indiana Ave., Kankakee.

Quinn, who visited some of the unit in Afghanistan a month or so ago, said he will be honored "to welcome home our 178th Infantry who have served their country proudly.

"It is important that we recognize these true patriots of freedom, liberty and democracy and honor their selfless courage during their time in Afghanistan."

Company C, which includes soldiers from a wide geographic area, left Illinois on Aug. 20, 2008 as part of the largest overseas deployment of the Illinois National Guard since World War II, according to Guard headquarters in Springfield.

Company C was one of the seven Illinois units that formed Task Force Bayonet when they arrived in Afghanistan last November. The other six units arrived home over the last week.

Their mission was to build infrastructure and Afghan government institutions. They started construction on three schools, 21 wells, one bridge, three irrigation pipe systems, and 20 other projects that helped the poverty-stricken Afghan residents, Guard headquarters reported.

They also conducted hundreds of patrols, traveling to locations where coalition forces had not been for years.

"We are very proud of these soldiers," said Maj. Gen. William Enyart, Adjutant General for the Illinois National Guard. "They have put aside the fear and anxiety of deployment and stood up to the challenge. These soldiers represented Illinois to the highest of standards and deserve to be called heroes."

Task Force Thankful

The local community organization "Task Force Thankful" is planning a massive show of support along a motorcade route from Manteno to Kankakee "unlike anything in local history," said Jim Ryan, task force spokesman.

a.m, for activities while waiting for the soldiers, who will be able to listen from their buses.

The motorcade will leave Interstate 57 at Manteno, proceed through town to Illinois Route 50, then come south to Bourbonnais, Bradley and Kankakee.

The family reunion at the Community Resource Center is not open to the general public because the families are expected to fill the limited seating.

"We would like people to go to the motorcade route gradually," Ryan said. "We don't want to overwhelm the route."

Police cars, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles, and hundreds of motorcycles will lead the motorcade from Manteno, he said.

"We ask that people not follow the motorcade in their vehicles," he added. "We don't need other vehicles for the police departments to have to deal with."

The task force also asks that residents not descend upon Indiana Avenue in Kankakee. Those last six blocks of the route "are going to be very crowded and we don't need any extras," he said.

"We encourage our friends to greet the motorcade in the Bradley area, where there are many parking lots along the route," he said.