South Carolina community welcomes home soldier wounded in Afghanistan

Rock Hill welcomes home soldier wounded in Afghanistan
Herald Online.com
By Jie Jenny Zou
Published: August 4, 2013

Aliyah hangs onto the arm of her dad, Army Spc. Michael Millwood, as members of the community welcome him home from Walter Reed hospital Sunday.
STEPHANIE MARKS MARTELL — Special to the Herald

The road along Bonnybrook Circle in Rock Hill was studded with little American flags staked into lawns and mailboxes adorned with yellow ribbons. Star-shaped balloons wavered in the light breeze on a balmy Sunday afternoon.

Then came the sounds of a fire engine, followed by the rumbling of hundreds of motorcycles and a cheering crowd.

Army Spc. Michael Millwood had returned home.

More than 100 friends, family and community members waited anxiously for the arrival of Millwood, who was returning home for the first time since an injury in Afghanistan shattered the femur bone in his leg earlier this year.

“He’s a lucky boy,” said his grandfather, Mike Bailey, 69. Bailey and his wife welcomed their grandson, along with his wife and kids, into the yard of Baileys’ home, which had been set up with lawn chairs and tents.

Dressed in a collared shirt and slacks, the 24-year-old Millwood was escorted by an array of military groups and local emergency personnel, including the recently returned Rock Hill-based Army National Guard 178th Engineer battalion, Patriot Guard Riders of South Carolina, Rolling Thunder of York County and Fire and Iron of York County.
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