Near a makeshift memorial for their only dead brethren, the Marine reservists of B Company returned home Thursday to a joyful reunion with their families, including some babies born while their fathers were in Iraq.

Among them was Cpl. Aaron Forbes, who cuddled his newborn daughter, AnMarie, as his wife, Jennifer, looked on.

"It's a great feeling," said Forbes, whose Roanoke-based B Company, 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, 4th Marine Division, spent the past seven months in Iraq. "I had to wait a long time to hold her."

Nearby was a concrete traffic barrier that had been turned into a hand-painted memorial for Lance Cpl. Jourdan Grez of Harrisonburg, who was killed by a roadside bomb in May.

The painting included Grez's name, a U.S. flag and his helmet, boots, rifle and dog tags.

Maj. John Knapp, B Company's commander, said his unit accomplished all of their missions in Iraq but regretted the death of Grez and the serious wounding of four other Marines.

"This is a great group of Marines," Knapp said. "They did everything that was asked of them."

When the Marines arrived in buses at the Naval and Marine Corps Training Center in Northwest Roanoke, they found hundreds of relatives and friends waiting under sunny skies with flags, balloons and welcome-home signs.

When they got off the buses, they were wrapped in teary embraces.

Lance Cpl. Ronnie Earle, a George Mason University student from Lynchburg, kissed his girlfriend, Lauren Stephens of Charlottesville, and petted her dog, Lexi, a Chihuahua, whom Stephens carried in her purse.

"I can't describe my feelings," Stephens said, crying.

Sgt. Justin Whiting of Roanoke hugged his parents, brother, girlfriend and other relatives.

"It's an amazing feeling, being home," he said.

Forbes, whose civilian job is being a police officer in South Boston, didn't say much as he held his newborn child.

"I just want to hold her," he said.

B Company, which was activated in January for the first time since the 1991 Persian Gulf War, included men from many civilian backgrounds, including college students, engineers, lawmen, businessmen, farmers, carpenters and laborers.

About 60 of the 90 Marines who went to Iraq returned Thursday.

The rest are due to return next week.

In Iraq, their duties included clearing land mines, doing construction and other engineering tasks.

Thousands of Southwest and central Virginians -- active duty, reservists and National Guard troops -- have been deployed since Sept. 11, 2001, including more than 2,000 who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.