Loved ones gather in Northeast Philadelphia to celebrate return of U.S. Marine lance corporal after 4 years abroad

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4 hours ago

Friends and family to celebrate the return of a Marine in Holmesburg after four years abroad
Friends and family to celebrate the return of a Marine in Holmesburg after four years abroad
Friends and family to celebrate the return of a Marine in Holmesburg after four years abroad
Friends and family gathered in Northeast Philadelphia's Holmesburg neighborhood on Friday to celebrate the return of a son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend after four years abroad with the United States Marine Corps.
Four years ago on Friday, 17-year-old Jake Fusetti left for boot camp, embarking on a journey that would result in him being stationed on the other side of the world with the U.S. military.
On June 6, 2021, 17-year-old Jake Fusetti left for boot camp, embarking on a journey that would result in him being stationed on the other side of the world with the U.S. military.
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On Friday, U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Jake Fusetti was welcomed home after spending the last three years stationed in Okinawa, Japan.
"It's definitely a lot, you know I've been overseas for the last three years, thankfully I've been home twice before. But it's been so long since I've been home for good," Fusetti said. "I'm happy to be home surrounded by friends and family here. So I mean, it's great."
Fusetti also shared how much he enjoyed his time abroad, which afforded him the opportunity to be immersed in other cultures.
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"It was great in Okinawa," Fusetti said. "I mean it was a wonderful three years, especially being a police officer, I got to deal with the local population, other Marines, the Air Force, the Army, it was honestly great, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm so happy I did it."
Not surprisingly, Fusetti's parents had quite a different experience with their son being thousands of miles from home.
"As a father, he would tell me things that you don't see on the news, you don't hear about," Mark Fusetti, Jake's father, said. "That is also like, yeah, you're not in war, but you're seeing a lot, you're dealing with a lot."
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With his son home again, it was time to celebrate.
"It was great that everyone could come down on a nice, beautiful weekend, where you know everyone wants to run to the shore. It worked out perfectly, everyone was home," the proud father said.
But family aside, the question remained what Jake Fusetti missed most about the Philly area.
"Honestly, I missed a good cheesesteak from Steve's, a whiz witout – that's what the thing I've been missing the most," he said. "And I can't wait to get back there."