A rousing hero's welcome greeted three bus loads of soldiers who returned yesterday from duty in Iraq.

"This is the best one I've had," Master Sgt. Ricardo Saunders of Penn Hills said of the welcome. He just completed his second tour of duty in Iraq. The 18-year Army veteran also did a tour in Afghanistan.

"It's good to see the American people still support the troops," he said.

Sgt. Saunders' children, Riccia, 14, and Ricardo Jr., 6, were among the more than 200 friends and family who roared as the troops filed into the auditorium of Moon Area High School for an official reception.

"Hopefully, it's the last time," Sgt. Saunders said.

Brig. Gen. Gregory E. Couch, who commanded about 20,000 Reserve soldiers and airmen in Iraq, including about 100 deployed from the 316th Sustainment Command in Coraopolis, declared his troops' mission a success.

"My goal was to go in there and come out of Iraq without anybody knowing we were there," Gen. Couch said.

"Our success was that the corps didn't want for anything," he said. He explained part of the mission was to traverse the war zones while supplying everything "from beans to bullets," as well as logistical support.

The homecoming troops had been deployed to Iraq last July 25.

The soldiers and their families embraced, laughed, cried and generally enjoyed their reunions as the 307th Army Band from Norristown, Montgomery County, played a military march.

The honored guests got salutes from members of the Patriot Guard, a volunteer group of motorcyclists who normally station themselves at soldiers' funerals to rebuff war protesters.

Yesterday, the bikers said they were honored to serve another purpose.

"We stand for those who stood for us," said the Rev. Myron Wattenphul, an associate pastor at Murrysville Alliance Church and a member of the Patriot Guard.

"This is a happy occasion for us," added Patriot Guardsman Scott Hill.

National Guard Staff Sgt. Clarence Washington of New Kensington appeared awash in emotion as he greeted his wife, Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Simone Washington, who was among the returning soldiers.

Sgt. Washington said he met Simone when they were stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., and they were married in South Carolina.

For parts of 2005 and 2006, Sgt. Washington served in Iraq, while his wife was at home with their three daughters.

"The kids are the ones this is toughest on," he continued, speaking of his girls, Michaella, 13, Madison, 12, and Marrissa, 10.

The Washington children and their 10-year-old neighbor, Samantha, all were decked out in patriotic top hats to greet their mother and the other soldiers.

Some of those who returned yesterday were met by relatives from out of state. Gen. Couch said his troops came from 42 different states.

Among them was Sgt. Arnold Rojas, 25, of Falls Church, Va., who, upon laying eyes on his fiancee, Mayra Reyes, 24, swooped her up for a long-awaited welcome-home kiss.

The couple were engaged on Valentine's Day, when Sgt. Rojas was home on leave.

They have not set a wedding date yet, but he said they'll have time to think about that on their four-hour drive home from Pittsburgh.