THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 25, 1994 TAG: 9406250197
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATRICIA HUANG, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940625 LENGTH: NORFOLK
She waved off the heat at Norfolk Naval Station and squinted up at the ship to find her boyfriend among the line of waving sailors on the deck. But before she could make him out, three lines of brightly colored signal flags unfurled above her.
{REST} A signalman standing next to her translated.
``The commanding officer would like to know if you will marry him,'' he said.
Siemer's eyes widened as she gasped, smiling and covering her mouth with both hands.
``How will he know if I say yes?'' she asked.
Reaching into a bag, the signalman fumbled for some flags.
Laughing and moving closer to board the amphibious transport dock, Siemer waved a large flag that signaled ``yes.''
``I knew he would catch me by surprise,'' said Siemer of Newport, R.I. ``He does things in his own way - memorable.''
As the Trenton docked, Siemer ran halfway up the ramp to embrace her new fiance, Capt. Tom Lennon. After they hugged and kissed, Lennon recounted how he had ``gone on and on during the entire deployment'' about his proposal plans.
The two disappeared into the cheering crowd aboard the ship, saying they had plans to discuss.
The Trenton, which pulled in about noon, was one of five Norfolk-based ships to return Friday after deploying as part of the carrier Saratoga battle group. Two ships, the Spartanburg County and the Portland, returned Friday morning to Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base.
The Florida-based Saratoga, the oldest of the active-duty carriers, also returned home Friday.
In Norfolk, the homecomings lasted for three hours as ship after ship pulled into the crowded piers.
On the oiler Monongahela, Gunner's Mate Juan Gonzalez, 24, took his first look at what he once thought might have been a joke - his 3-month-old son.
``I had the baby on March 31st and Juan got the message on April 1st,'' explained his wife, Andrea Gonzalez, 23. ``He thought it was an April Fools' joke. . . . He called up and wanted to know if I was kidding.''
{KEYWORDS} HOMECOMING
by CNB