The Army Reserve's 419th Transportation Company celebrated Independence Day two days early Friday, returning home to family and friends after 17 months in Kuwait and Iraq.

Cheers and yells resonated across the Utah Air National Guard facility at the Salt Lake airport as hundreds of people gathered to greet the 180 soldiers. Signs declaring, "We love you major dad," "Thanks for making us proud" and "My dad is going to take me fishing," bounced up and down along the crowd among a sea of American flags.

As the soldiers exited the plane, they quickly threw their bags down, lined up and began marching toward the large crowd. They tried to maintain a strong march, but smiles and tears broke through many of the sun-bronzed faces.

When the soldiers were told "at ease," they ran to family and friends in tearful embraces. Family members carried pictures, flowers, balloons and cameras. Many wore red, white and blue and yellow ribbons.

"We're just so thrilled," said Liz Huggins as she wiped away her tears and embraced her daughter, Pfc. Nicole Kozlowski. "She's an awesome soldier."

Kozlowski, who recently turned 21 while mobilized, said she was excited to eat at her favorite Chinese restaurant and have her first beer.

She signed up for the Army after 9/11 and was deployed to Kuwait shortly after finishing boot camp. She said she was still in shock that she was finally home and was anxious to introduce her mother to her fellow soldiers.

"You don't have an opinion of the war when you have a loved one in it," Huggins said. "I just felt proud and terrified. It's a scary thing."

The 419th is one of 65 units in the 96th U.S. Army Regional Readiness Command. Soldiers in the company are responsible for construction, transportation, maintenance, medical care, finance services and public affairs.

Sgt. 1st Class Darold Cooper, who also was mobilized during Desert Storm, said a good day was picked to return home; Friday was his 11th wedding anniversary. Thirty minutes after the soldiers' arrival, more than half of the crowd and soldiers were gone, most anxious to return home and spend time with their families.

"This is the best feeling in the world," Sgt. 1st Class Mike Merrill said as his seven kids gave him hugs, played with his tags and asked him questions.

In April, the company prepared to return to Salt Lake City, but four days before the unit was supposed to leave, it was redeployed — an action Merrill said "brought us closer together."

One of Merrill's daughters, Amanda, 14, said she eventually stopped watching the news because she was so scared something bad had happened to her dad.