AREA SEA BEES EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN CAPE TODAY

More reserve military personnel are scheduled to return home to Cape Girardeau today from the Persian Gulf War.

About 40 Naval Reserve Sea Bees are expected to arrive at the Naval Reserve Center, 2530 Maria Louise Lane,, said the center's commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Jack Dalrymple. The reservists, part of the Navy's construction division, are attached to the center.

Dalrymple said the expected time of arrival for the reservists is 1:30 p.m., although the time hasn't been confirmed. The time is based on reports from the reservists themselves from Gulf Port, Miss., where they were Monday night, he said.

"I expect a lot of family members to be here, similar to when they left," said Dalrymple. Between 100 and 150 people turned out when the reservists left in the second week of January, he said.

The reservists known as Reserve Naval Construction Force, Support Unit 4 served in Saudi Arabia.

"Toward the end they just did general construction projects for the combined services, but their initial mission was as a vehicle maintenance pool for four other Sea Bee battalions," Dalrymple said.

The reserve members are expected to arrive by plane at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis at about 11 a.m. A bus will transport them to Cape Girardeau.

Though the unit's membership covers a 100-mile radius of Cape Girardeau, most of the reservists are from the immediate area, said Dalrymple.