MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Lance Cpl. Lorenzo M. Borquez could not have received a better birthday present June 5 than to return to Camp Pendleton to the arms of his 2-year-old son after six months afloat.

But Borquez - a field radio operator for the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), who spent half a year fighting fires around the world as a member of the nation's "911 force" - was no more elated at the reunion than his toddler, Lorenzo.

The boy asked his grandparents, David and Gabriele Borquez, "Where's my dada?" before the reunion at Camp Del Mar, while the family waited for Borquez, who steamed ashore with comrades on landing crafts air cushioned.

"He will be here soon," they answered.

"We knew that he wanted to see his son, so we drove down (from Modesto) today to meet him," Gabriele said.

Hundreds of families linked up at various locations here with their beloved Marines and sailors, whose stops included Hawaii, Guam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq.

As deployments go, it was diverse - revealing both the gentle hand and the iron fist of a Marine Expeditionary Unit. The MEU's missions included tsunami relief in Indonesia and the hunt for insurgents and their weapons of war in Iraq.

"We were the first ones on scene in Indonesia when the tsunami hit," said Staff Sgt. Sidney R. Young, operations chief for the MEU.

"The devastation was unbearable at times," said Young, adding the Marines were eager to help.

"The Marines gave their heart and soul to pass out water and other aid," Young said. "We wanted to show that we are not just warfighters. It gave the Marines a sense of pride to be able to help the people out."

Borquez worked on an inland air base, helping with cleanup and distribution of food and water. Indonesians were eager to help each other and worked side by side with the Marines, he said.

"They seemed to be happy to have us there," Borquez said, "even though they were timid at first."

After aiding the people of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, the Marines shifted gears and sped to Iraq, where they performed security and stability operations in southern Baghdad.

"We were trained and knew what to expect in Baghdad," Young said. The MEU sustained only one casualty, a shrapnel wound, he said.

"Having gone through numerous attacks, that is almost a perfect world for a Marine Corps unit," Young said.

After leaving Iraq, the Marines continued training - including Marine Corps Martial Arts, the Corporals Course and weapons drills.

They also took time for liberty.

The Navy's seven-ship Expeditionary Strike Group 5 ferried more than 5,000 Marines and sailors to Bahrain, Australia and Hawaii, were they relaxed and blew off steam.

"These ports give the Marines a chance to unwind and look forward to seeing their families," Young said.

Like the Marines, families stewed in anticipation of the reunion - even on the final day.

The Borquez family waited five hours to see their son. They said it was nothing to wait a few more hours after six months apart.

"It was hard and a little scary for us. We didn't know what would happen to him in Iraq or what he would have to do, so it is a relief to have him home," said Gabriele, his mother.

The hardest thing for Borquez was leaving his son, he said. The training prepared him for the things he had to do in Iraq.

"I enjoyed the whole deployment and wouldn't change a thing," said Borquez, adding that it's too soon to tell if he'd want to do it again.

Right now, his son is the only thing he wants to worry about, he said.