Monday, Aug. 23, 2010

Marine carrying on the family tradition

Los Banos' Creighton, whose parents both served in the Corps, is headed to southern Afghanistan

One of Los Banos' own will ship off to southern Afghanistan's Helmand province at the end of this month.

Cpl. Michael Creighton, 25, is in his fourth year of service in the Marine Corps. As part of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Creighton has been given a deployment window of Aug. 30 to Sept 4.

After high school, Creighton took some classes at Merced College, did some work in Georgia and Maine and then tried taking some more college classes, but he always knew he would eventually join the Marines.

Creighton comes from a family of Marines; His parents, Rochelle and Steve Creighton, both served.

"Deep down I always knew I would go (into the Marines) sometime," Creighton said. "I didn't know when or at what point I would go, but I always kind of knew that I would go in."

Creighton said he found out in February that he would be deployed, and then he was given his deployment window in June.

"I think for anybody, when they find out they're going to a combat zone, it's a little bit nerve-wracking," Creighton said. "It's a scary feeling, but you just train as hard as you can to get ready."

Creighton joined while the United States was in the midst of the conflict, so he knew he would eventually be headed to the Middle East.

His mother, Rochelle Creighton, said she and her husband knew their son would eventually join the service. She said he always had the "itch" to go.

Rochelle Creighton said she had mixed emotions when her son first told her he was joining the Marine Corps.

"I had mixed emotions about it, like any mother," she said. "But, it's something that Michael felt he needed to do."

Rochelle Creighton said she prefers not to use the word "deployed." She made the point that it softens what is really happening in the Middle East.

"[People] kind of shy away from that word, 'war' and we go to 'deployed,' " she said. "Well, my son's going to war. So, I say, 'he's going to war.' "

Rochelle Creighton said she anticipates the day Michael goes to war to be "the toughest day of my life."

Peni (pronounced PEN-nee) Hogwood, Michael's aunt and Rochelle's sister, described Michael as focused and dedicated.

Michael Creighton's parents will be throwing a party in his honor this weekend, as he is in town during his pre-deployment leave, with a guest list of about 200 of his friends and family members.

Hogwood said the idea of the party will be to celebrate Michael.

"I think it is a collaborative effort to show Michael how much love and support he's going with," Hogwood said.

Steve Creighton, Michael's father, said he hoped the best for his son and he anticipates feeling proud of his son on the day he goes to war.

"I feel that, him being a United States Marine and having a good head on his shoulders, he will come back in the same shape that he left," he said.

Enterprise staff writer Thaddeus Miller can be reached at 388-6562 or by e-mail at tmiller@losbanosenterprise.com.