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American Morning

USS Enterprise's Carrier Air Wing Comes Home Today

Aired November 09, 2001 - 11:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: But, first the air wing assigned to the aircraft carrier Enterprise, returns home today.

And Jonathan Aiken at the naval air station there in Virginia Beach to watch that homecoming. Jonathan, good morning to you. How are things?

JONATHAN AIKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill. Looking forward to this homecoming, too. In civilian parlance, you might want to call this V-Day for vacation day. A long-awaited homecoming day for the carrier air wing of the USS Enterprise.

We should note that the ship itself is still out to sea. It's going to arrive at its home port in Norfolk tomorrow. But both logistics and tradition dictate that the carrier air wing get the first crack at homecoming, and that's what's happening today.

We have two fighter squadrons coming back here to Oceana, and a total of about 20 planes in this first group coming in around noontime, Eastern time today.

We have map that we want to show you, so you can see where else the welcoming signs are coming out. In addition to here at Oceana, we also have an element coming into the Norfolk Naval Air Station not too far away to our west. In addition, there will be elements coming into the Mayport Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida, along the first (ph) coast. Yet another contingent coming into the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Washington State.

This homecoming, Bill, is coming after a long time out to sea for the men and women of the Enterprise. It's been quite a seven month stretch for them. Six months, the usual rotation for a carrier crew. It's been extended to seven for the Enterprise.

In fact, that ship was heading home when it got turned around as a result of the events of September 11th. The Enterprise not the only aircraft carrier in the region. There are three all together. There's also the USS Carl Vinson, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and along with the Enterprise, the air wings from all three carrier groups have been engaging in about 50, 55 sorties per day.

There's a lot of -- there's a lot of emotion and ceremony here involving this homecoming at Oceana. I will just step out of picture for a moment so that Worth (ph) is going to be be able to show you what's going on.

There's an F-15 Super Hornet that you see there -- around that F- 18 -- F-18 rather, Super Hornet. Around that F-18, are crews that are known as chock and chains, and they're going to secure these aircraft once they land. Before they land, the elements are going to be coming in -- these two squadrons that are going to be coming in -- are going to have a rather boisterous return home here to Oceana. There's going to be a 20-plane, two-squadron fly over in formation. So it should be loud and rather exciting.

All of this as families, wives, children, moms and dad here on the ground, getting ready to greet their loved ones as they come home.

Once these crews land. They're going to come up. They're going to be greeted by their families. They're also going to have a ceremony to say farewell to the F-14 Tomcat, Bill, because it's being phased out. A lot of these pilots, when they go back up again are going to be in the F-18 Super Hornet, which you see behind me. Bill

HEMMER: Going to be a nice day there, Jonathan. Nice scenes too. Jonathan Aiken there at Norfolk and a lot of emotion, again, as you point out. A lot to be thankful for those folks coming home today. Jonathan, thanks much, here.

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