By Linda Taaffe

Roxy Montana has been waiting two years to throw a homecoming party for her 21-year-old son Ben Wetzel, who has been stationed in Iraq since Sept. 11, 2001, and moved to the front lines of the Iraq conflict this past year. The Los Altos High School graduate returned to the United States last week. He is scheduled to come home Saturday to a police escort, visits from the Los Altos and Mountain View mayors and an old-fashioned American block party with 100 of his closest friends and neighbors.

“You have no idea how much relief has come,” Montana said, calling the past few years a “knuckle-chewing” time.

Montana said she hasn’t seen her son for nine months, and communication with him has been sporadic at best. Her letters often took more than a month to reach her son’s ever-changing location.

When he was able, Wetzel would send a simple reply, “I’m OK mom, and I love you very much, and I know you love me,” Montana said.

“I absolutely had no idea if he (was all-right) or where he was located. I would always look at the newspaper or computer updates to see. … I would hold my breath and say, ‘Please don’t let it be Ben,’ and then say a prayer for the others who were (on the list) or had been captured,” Montana said. “Up until the minute I heard his voice, there was no guarantee he had made it back.”

Wetzel, a Marine lance corporal with the 5th Division, 1st Marines, Alpha Company, was one of the first men across the battle line when the Iraq conflict started and a member of the first U.S. force to enter the marble palaces of Saddam Hussein.

His company made international headlines for the capture of Baghdad.

Wetzel was awarded the Purple Heart for shrapnel wounds he received to his face from an explosion during the battle in Baghdad.

For the last six months his platoon was stationed in Fallujah, Iraq, where he participated in some of the heaviest fighting of the Iraq conflict.

Neighbor John Kells organized the surprise homecoming when he learned Wetzel had made it safely to Camp Pendleton in San Diego last week. Kells said he considers Wetzel a part of his family.

When word got around about the party, neighbor after neighbor joined the effort, he said.

“It’s the least we can do for our troops who have risked and, too often, given their lives in defense of this country,” said neighbor Robert Matilainen, who is the father of Wetzel’s high school sweetheart, Kristen.

Wetzel joined the Marines in 2001, a few months after his high school graduation and just months before 9/11.

“He wanted to see the world,” Montana said.

“Well, I think he has been to hell and back - twice.”