IRONWOOD -- The 2nd Platoon of the 312th Engineer Company, based in Hurley, will soon be deploying overseas, and family members and friends came from all over to support them at a send-off party at the Memorial Building in downtown Ironwood Saturday.

The 12 soldiers from the 312th weren't the only soldiers in the room. There were veterans of the Iraq War, the Vietnam War and World War II. They and their families were at the party to show their support for the soldiers deploying and to offer advice to the families being left behind.

Dan Secor served during the Vietnam War. He and his wife, Geri Secor, the aunt of one of the soldiers deploying, drove from Gwinn for the party.

"We came down to support the families and be thankful to these young guys," Geri said.

Geri said she knew what the families are going through because she did the same a generation ago.

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