After spending Christmas and Easter without her son, Belinda Brown's ship came in after Memorial Day.

Her son's ship, anyway.

Brandon Brown, 20, a 2000 Ironton High School graduate aboard the U.S.S. Austin, arrived on the shores of Norfolk, Va., with his mother happily awaiting his arrival. The E-4 Petty Officer 3rd class had been on the beaches of Kuwait City since Aug. 26, 2002.

"It was wonderful, absolutely wonderful," Belinda Brown said. "When I hugged him, it was like giving birth to him for the second time."

Initially, he was supposed to return home March 18, Brandon Brown said. Even though this trip was his first one overseas, he was not worried because it was originally a standard deployment, he said.

On the way back, the ship had problems and had to pull into Bahrain for repairs. While the ship was already halfway around Africa on its way home again, war broke out and Brown and his crewmates were on their way back to Kuwait.

Belinda Brown called her son's long deployment a "nightmare."

"Having Christmas without him was horrible," she said. "It was day-by-day. It was a very tense experience."

When he first arrived in areas outside the United States, it was exciting getting to see a new country, he said. Eventually, he and some of his comrades became frustrated and tired after the war broke out. They were ready to come home and, for a while, did not know when they would get to leave, he said. However, he kept in touch with family members via e-mail.

Because Brown stayed on a ship the entire time he was overseas, it was fairly safe. However, he and the others on board still had to take precautions by wearing gas masks and chemical suits in case of a chemical or biological weapon attack, he said.

Despite his homesickness, Brown and his comrades made history on their mission. Originally an engine room mechanic, Brown helped launch U.S. Marines, who would storm beaches, from his ship. The amphibious assaults were launched for 278 days, longer than any assault of that nature since World War II.

"Knowing that I'm in the history books is something that no one can take away," he said.

Even though he and his comrades were living in somewhat cramped conditions with bunks in racks of three, they made the best of it. Many of them became his friends.

"I met many different people, from Asia, Africa, Jamaica … I made friends with many different people," he said.

When first arriving in North Carolina, then Norfolk, Brown said he not only encountered cheering crowds, but also a D.J. playing "The Boys are Back in Town."

"It was a good feeling to see those American flags flying when we were in North Carolina," he said.

After greeting his mother in Norfolk, he arrived in Ironton May 30. His sister Lea Brown, 25, was not able to get off from work, but made sure her brother's house was decorated for his homecoming, Belinda Brown said. She also placed signs through Ironton welcoming him home.

"When he walked through the doors, it was just unreal," she said. "It was a dream come true."

Brandon Brown has been enlisted since April 2001. He said he had gone for post-secondary education after high school, but it did not work out. He came back to Ironton, where he ran into an old friend who was in boot camp. He enlisted after talking with a recruiter. He plans to continue his military career by reenlisting.

"I've enjoyed it," he said. "It has its ups and downs, but so far, it's been a good ride."

Brandon Brown is on leave until June 8. Afterward, he will go back to Norfolk to drydock and repair the ship with a small trip to New Jersey in between. His next scheduled deployment is in 2005.

"I would like to thank God, the community and the nation for all the prayers," Belinda Brown said. "He came home safely. It's a miracle."