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A Hero’s Welcome: Hundreds Welcome Wounded Marine Home (With Photo Gallery)

A local Marine was given a hero’s homecoming Friday morning in Pensacola.

Lance Cpl. Joseph Daniel Palmer, along with his wife Becky and his two young children, arrived at Pensacola Aviation just after 11:00 this morning to a large crowd of well wishers, many dressed in patriotic clothing and waving American flags.

“I wasn’t expecting this many people to be here,” Palmer said as he addressed the crowd.  “It’s awesome to see that I’m coming home to a community that actually cares.”

“It lifts my spirit, and I know it probably lifts my wife’s spirit as well. All I can say, really, is thank you for your support,” the 26-year old Marine said. “Stay in the fight. Because there’s still Marines over there doing the same thing I was doing and going to come back the same way I come back. Keep them in your prayers. If you see them on the street, don’t hesitate to come say hello.”

“It’s just a blessing. We feel very, very blessed…to be able to come home,” he said, looking at his wife Becky and choking back tears. “Just thank y’all.”

For a photo gallery, click here.

Dignitaries including Congressman Jeff Miller, Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward, Santa Rosa Commissioner Don Salter and Milton Mayor Guy Thompson were on hand to welcome Palmer and his family back to the area. After the ceremony, a motorcade led by law enforcement at the Patriot Guard traveled to a  newly renovated home for the Palmers at the Whiting Pines military housing in Milton. The first three months of rent at the home will be paid by the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Foundation.

Palmer suffered extensive combat related injuries in Afghanistan. His right leg was amputated below the knee, and he endured more than a year of medical rehabilitation in North Carolina.

Palmer is a 2004 graduate of Central High School. He joined the Marines in October 2008 and was deployed to Afghanistan in January 2010. He has several relatives in the North Escambia area, including his sister.

Pictured: Lance Cpl. Joseph Daniel Palmer and his family returned home to Pensacola just after 11:00 Friday morning. Photos  for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge. Photos include reader submitted photos from WEAR 3, Shaun Moye, Kristi Smith and P.C. Wu.