HAMMOND | A 2007 Morton High School graduate came home to a hero's welcome Tuesday when he arrived at the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority and was escorted to his house.

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Timothy Malacina, who spent seven months in Iraq, arrived to find a chorus of voices welcoming him, along with a procession including police, a firetruck and other Marines and war veterans on hand to lead him home.

Don and Phyllis Giffin, of Hammond, stepped up to shake Malancia's hand and say hello.

"Welcome home, hero," Don Giffin said.

The Giffins, who also work with CAMP, or Caring About Military Personnel, were among nearly 30 people on hand to greet Malacina. CAMP is involved in sending care boxes to military personnel.

Malacina, 20, was stunned.

"I never expected anything like this," he said, as he shook hands with members of the Indiana Patriot Guard and neighbors, and stopped to hug family and friends.

The homecoming was organized by Malacina's mother Janet, who is a bookkeeper at Gavit High School in Hammond where Malacina was a student in his freshman and sophomore years.

Janet Malacina said she is "just so happy" to have her son home for a few weeks. "I wanted him to come home with a bang," she said.

The parade of police cars, motorcycles and vans also passed Gavit High School, where students stood outside to yell and wave at the procession.

Malacina, who stood out in the chilly temperatures with American flags blowing in the wind at the visitors center, said Iraq wasn't as bad as he had heard it would be.

"The people there are just trying to live their lives," he said, adding he was involved in combat operations in the Ninawa Province.

Malacina hopes to spend his time at home visiting family and friends, and just relaxing.

Malancia's parents, Janet and Mark, and his sister Samantha, 16, stood close to his side as he walked up the steps to his house under a large sign that said, "Welcome Home Timothy, USMC."