Navy medical corpsman Matthew Bradley, 33, of West Tisbury, returned home from active duty yesterday amid the celebratory sounds of fire engine horns and police sirens. Mr. Bradley, who is serving in the naval reserve, has been stationed with the U.S. Marine Corps. in Afghanistan since he left the Island last August. He has also served in Iraq.

The noise level at Martha’s Vineyard Airport swelled well before Mr. Bradley stepped out of the Cape Air plane on Thursday afternoon. Flags waved amidst the cheering crowd of more than 100 people.

Mr. Bradley’s mother, Frani Bradley, also of West Tisbury, said her son has been back in the states for about a month. He spent last month at the U.S. Marines West Coast base at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He also spent some time at a naval facility at Camp Lejeune in N.C. before flying home. Mrs. Bradley, who works as an Oak Bluffs EMT, was accompanied by many of her colleagues.

Jo Ann Murphy, veterans agent for the county, said she got the call yesterday morning that Mr.Bradley was coming home. She got on the phone in the morning to contact the various agencies to see if they wanted to participate in the big welcome. “Everybody wanted to help. Even those who couldn’t make it wanted to have a part,” Mrs. Murphy said. “Everybody wanted to send the message, ‘Thank you for your service to the country. Welcome home,” she said.

After shaking the hand of everyone in attendance on the tarmac, Mr. Bradley said: “It is good to be home.”