AT HOME, TROOPS' LOVED ONES FEEL ANXIETY

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Wednesday's announcement by President Bush that there would be a cease-fire in the Persian Gulf War, and that the 42-day-old conflict is in its final hours, was welcomed news for area residents with loved ones involved in Operation Desert Storm.

"It's like a huge burden has been lifted," said Noretta Blattner of Jackson, whose son, Marine Cpl. Mark Ketcher, has been stationed aboard the USS Okinawa in the gulf since mid-August. "I do believe it is because of all the prayers of the whole country."

Blattner said she had been monitoring newscasts all day Wednesday and anticipated the president would announce that the war was winding down.

"I thought it was coming, but it built up all day and just reached a crescendo with the announcements. We were all laughing, crying, and praying. It's a wonderful feeling."

But for Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Lynch of Cape Girardeau, the news did little to ease their concern.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Brian Lynch, who had been stationed in Saudi Arabia since mid-September, is in a unit that went into Iraq to run out the Republican Guard forces.

Calvin Lynch said he feared his son was still in the thick of any last-minute fighting. "We're real concerned ... we're still sitting on pins and needles," said Lynch. "We have not heard from him for a good while."

Carol Askew of Cape Girardeau said it was a relief to hear that firing would cease, but it would be a while before she could rest easy.

"I listened (to the president) and it all sounds good; but, when I hear from my son, I will believe it. I don't trust Hussein," said Askew, whose son, Army Pvt. Rob Askew, has been in Saudi Arabia since Christmas.

Like Lynch, Askew was still uneasy because her son had moved into Iraq recently to help in clearing out the Republican Guard.

Carol Askew said she won't rest easy "until he calls and says, `I'm still alive and will be home soon.' Then I will feel much better."

Carol Callis, whose son Mitch is a corporal in the Marine Corps Reserve and was deployed to Saudi Arabia Dec. 31, said she was surprised by the quick ending to the war.

"Needless to say I am very excited. If it all works out and we can get our guys home, I'm standing behind Bush 100 percent," said Callis.

Beth Callis, Mitch's wife, said she's not ready to call it over.

"Of course I'm relieved, but it's not over 'till he's home," she said. "Last night on the news I heard that some may get to come home by late March, but who really knows?"

Beth Callis, a teacher, said she probably won't watch as much television news as she has in the past few months; but other than that, until her husband comes home, her life won't be much different than it is now.

"It's nice to know he's safe," she said. "But at midnight my life will still be exactly the same as it was before."

"We're elated that it is over," said Albert Hitt of Cape Girardeau. "We've prayed a lot about this war, and we feel our prayers have been answered."

The Hitts, Albert and Mary, received a letter this week from their son, Cpl. David C. Goodman, "but it was dated Feb. 12," said Hitt. "At that time he was aboard the USS Vancouver, a troop ship."

Goodman, who has been in the Marine Corps for more than two years, arrived in the Persian Gulf in January.

"We have had some tremendous leadership during the war, both from the president and from military leaders in the Persian Gulf," said Hitt. "We just hope that Saddam doesn't try anything sneaky or does anything foolish now."

Reached late Wednesday night, Judy Cobb of Chaffee said she was "tickled to death" about President Bush's announcement of an end to the combat.

Her son, PFC Donald Cobb, has been stationed in the gulf since mid-September.

"That's my baby over there and I'm ready for him to come home," she said. "I'm happy, but I hope this is really the end."

Cobb said she doesn't trust Saddam to give up peacefully. "I hope he doesn't have something up his sleeve," she said. "I don't trust that man." But she said, "As long as they're not shooting, it sounds good to me."

Oren O. ("Bud") Campbell of Cape Girardeau said he didn't get to hear all of Bush's speech, but was relieved that combat operations were suspended.

Cpl. Bud D. Campbell, his son, is a Huey helicopter crew chief in the 369th Squadron in Saudi Arabia.

"Of course, we won't feel totally good until we know that he is back in the U.S." said Campbell. "But we're relieved that the shooting has stopped."

The Campbells said they hadn't heard from their son since the shooting started.

"We just know he could have been involved in a couple of things over there," said Campbell. "He would have been hauling in supplies or going in to bring wounded back."

The younger Campbell has been in the Marine Corps five years.

"We hope, too, that the people of Iraq see their leader Saddam Hussein for what he is and get rid of him."

"We're thrilled with the cease-fire news," said Tim Young, whose son, Sgt. Patrick Kevin Young, is stationed in Riyad, Saudi Arabia.

Tim and Carolyn Young received a call from their son Wednesday morning.

"He called from Riyad," said Tim Young. "This was before the cease-fire, and even then he said his work load as an imagery analyst, keeping watch along the border, was starting to slow down."

Young added that he hoped the Iraqis would get back to their lives.

"They (the Iraqis) will just have to understand that what we did was something that had to be done."

Many families are looking forward to welcoming their loved ones home. As Noretta Blattner said: "We're already planning a big coming-home party. This will be the grandest day of our life when he comes in the door."

But she also was quick to acknowledge that not all families will have joyful reunions to look forward to.

"My heart is breaking for those families whose sons are not coming home," said Blattner. "I know they have a feeling of proudness that their son served, but it is still a very empty feeling."

(Information for this story was compiled by Staff Writers B. Ray Owen, Jim Grebing and Julie Bollman.)