Home » Archives » "The two soldiers of Banbury Lane"

The two soldiers of Banbury Lane

Apr-14-2006 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

Link to Full Article
By Christine Morente, STAFF WRITER

MILLBRAE — On a quiet block of Banbury Lane, Donna Grogan sits filled with anxiety as her husband, Mike, awaits deployment to Iraq.

Across the street, Kari Macaulay is full of joy and relief as she welcomes home her oldest son, Kurt, a young soldier on a fortnight leave from Mosul, Iraq.

They symbolize the emotional rollercoaster families of service men and women stationed in Iraq are going through as the war continues.

But both men — Millbrae Police Cpt. Mike Grogan and 22-year-old Kurt Macaulay — feel there is still a necessity to fight in Iraq, even though their families worry for their safety.

"That's what (Mike) chose as part of his military life. Part of him feels a commitment to serve the country," Donna Grogan said. "I have mixed feelings about the whole war, having friends there. Hopefully, he'll be safe and smart."

The Macaulays and the Grogans have known each other for 11 years, friends for most of that time. They would often spend their summers together until Kurt Macaulay enlisted into the Army nine months after graduating from Mills High School three years ago.

On Friday, it is Grogan's turn to leave. An Army Reservist, he reports to Fort Lewis, Wash.; he will be deploying to Kuwait in December.

But late Tuesday night, elsewhere on Banbury Lane, Ma- caulay was with his family again, arriving at 10:15 p.m. aftertraveling for three days. The family celebrated his homecoming with chicken enchiladas.

Macaulay slept in what was once his childhood bedroom, decorated with "Star Wars" posters and memorabilia.

"It's home," Macaulay said.


Advertisements