Wounded Marine receives hero's welcome from Atlanta

Johnny Crawford, Jcrawford@ajc.com Mindi Bennett holds a sign welcoming Marine Cpl Todd Simpson Love home at McCollum Field on Saturday, Apr 9, 2011. Over 500 people welcomed him home from the hospital.

Wounded Marine receives hero's welcome from Atlanta

By Shelia M. Poole
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Cpl. Todd Simpson Love is a third-generation Marine, so the words quit and give up aren't found in his vocabulary.


Love was the point man on foot patrol in the Sangin district of Afghanistan on the morning of Oct. 25 last year, when he triggered an improvised explosive device. The most severely injured among his fellow Marines, he lost two legs and part of his left arm.

On Saturday, Love, 20, received a hero's welcome when he returned to Georgia. The wounded member of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, B Company, which is stationed at Camp Pendleton, Calif., was met by a motorcade of cars and more than 250 motorcyclists from several groups, including Warrior Watch Riders and the American Legion Post 111, at Cobb County Airport-McCollum Field. He next was whisked to Dallas Landing Park in Acworth for a celebration and mayoral commendation.

A relative kept people informed of the Marine's arrival using Twitter and Facebook messages. When his plane landed from Virginia, courtesy of Angel Flight, he was greeted by hundreds of people with applause, cheers and more than a few tears. Streets to Acworth were lined with well-wishers, signs and American flags.
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Wounded Marine receives hero's welcome from Atlanta