Families gathered at the 133rd Airlift Wing in St. Paul in the afternoon to welcome the airmen home from their six-month deployment.

Along with the airmen, four of the Wing's C-130 Hercules aircraft that were part of the mission returned.

While deployed, the airmen transported cargo and passengers while also maintaining the planes.

The loved ones 5 Eyewitness News spoke with on Wednesday say they have been waiting for this moment since the moment they left.

"It's hard, my husband was always excited to talk, but it was always hard after he hung up the phone," said Samantha Taylor, who's the wife of a returning airman. "For my oldest it was the hardest… he gets that he's gone, but he doesn't get the concept of time, and why isn't his dad home yet?"

"We have a sign upstairs that we have been counting down the 'sleeps,' as we say in our house, until daddy came home," said Lauren Shegstad, who's the wife of a returning airman. "It's been crazy, it's been emotional. We're just ready to be a family again, and be back together"

The second half of the service members are expected to arrive in St. Paul on Friday.