Albert Lea residents lined the parade route in the rain to welcome home soldiers with the National Guard Company D, 135th Battalion, who returned Sunday from serving 18 months in Afghanistan.

The bus carrying the soldiers arrived in town about 1:15 p.m., amid community cheers and signs and banners.

They were driven to the Armory where they wasted no time in sharing hugs and tears wth family who have held down the fort, so to speak here at home.