Family Has Two Sons In Combat
By Stacey Creasy
PLYMOUTH � Baghdad may have fallen, but parents Chuck and Penny Arnold will not breathe easy until their sons are home from a war that has claimed dozens of Americans.
The war is far from over, according to President George W. Bush. Until it is, Chuck and Penny�s sons, Robert Arnold, 24 and Anthony Procaccino 21, both of Plymouth, will not likely be home until the fighting has stopped.
Both young men have duties that place them in harm�s way.
�Tony is in DART, the Downed Airman Recovery Team,� Chuck explained. �Bob is with the 101st. He is part of the only air assault unit over there.�
The obvious danger with a DART squad is the enemy is looking for the same downed pilots as we are.
Air assault squads are aggressive but can also be vulnerable in battle.
Tony is based at Fort Ben-
ning, Ga. Bob is based at Fort Campbell, Ky.
Tony was deployed to Kuwait just after Christmas while Bob was deployed in late February.
Chuck said both boys joined the service after the 9/11 terrorist attacks .
�They wanted to show their patriotism after what happened,� Chuck said.
�They also knew it would be a great way to get training and an education.�
Chuck said Bob hopes to join a police SWAT team once he leaves the military.
Both men have witnessed some unusual events as their units storm across Iraq. Bob�s squad came across 14, 55-gallon barrels of nerve gas in one spot. Throughout the war Amer-ican soldiers have been forced to deal with the fact the Iraqis may use chemical weapons. So far, that hasn�t happened.
Chuck and Penny have mixed emotions about watching the war on television.
�On one hand, you want to see what�s going on,� Chuck said.
�On the other, it�s tough when you know your boys are over there. It is tough to watch the TV sometimes.�
Chuck said both sons have the same mind-set most of the soldiers have � get in, get the job done, go home.
Bob is married. Tony has a girlfriend. Each is eager to see both back on American soil.
Kuwait is the only combat duty the boys have seen. Chuck said he and Penny are proud of the way they have served their country in combat.
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